Genesis 1:27
“So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.”
I don’t know if it’s the way it is with every denomination or just mine, but for years I was known because my parents were known. My identity was wrapped in and came from theirs. “You must be Craig’s son!” “Is Joan (or Joanie!) your mom?” I’ll admit to you that I did not appreciate that then as much as I do now. I love my parents and I think the world of them, but how dare that same world package us all together. I am my own person!
My senior year of high school, our family followed another family to an overseas church appointment and my father and I were doing a walkthrough of the school I was going to attend with the headmaster. Yep, I had a headmaster. I was following another senior who had graduated the year before. He was popular and successful academically, athletically and musically. On that walkthrough, the headmaster said to me, “You’ve got some pretty big shoes to fill, Mr. Stoker.” And my response was, “Thank you, sir. I brought my own shoes.” Because I am my own person!
Except I’m not. Biologically and socially, I am a product of my parents. I carry a bit of every town we’ve ever lived in, and it’s not a low number. Every teacher has made an impression, has guided me in a certain way, has taught me to be or not be something or someone. Every job and boss and relationship has shaped something in me. Even following that guy connected me to him.
It took me way too many years to realize that each of those people imparted something of an image to me. I carry something from them. I will for the rest of my life. And that’s not a curse, it’s a privilege. It’s a responsibility. It’s a responsibility to say I worked for Curtis or Janice. It’s a privilege to be the son of my parents and to carry their name, to share it with my wife, and to give it to our kids. There’s a cost of self that comes with each of these realizations. There’s so much to being made in His image.
Reflect:
On the verses. Who has contributed to who you are today? Who has shaped you? Has it been for good? Or not?
Journal:
What does it mean to you to be created in God’s image? Where do you see that in yourself? Where is it difficult to see?
Pray:
For those who have influenced you and for those for whom you are an influence.
For the courage to see in yourself what God sees in you and for that image to become more real to you.