Day 6 – Who do you see?

Genesis 1:26-27. Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”   So God created humans in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 

Throughout history, theologians have sought to answer the question, “What constitutes the “imago Dei” within human beings?” Is it that part of human beings that is “immortal?” Is it “having a moral conscience?” Is it “creativity?” Is it the “ability to choose?” Is it our need for “social connection?” Or is it all of the above? Whatever “it” is, being created in the image of the divine distinguishes human beings from the rest of creation, and all human beings – both male and female – possess it in equal measure. Yet throughout history, not all humans have been seen as fully human, which has conveniently justified all kinds of discrimination and abuse. Have you ever struggled with “dehumanizing” words and acts? What is one thing you could do to correct your vision so that you don’t fall into the pattern of dehumanization?

Prayer: Good and gracious God, you invite us to recognize and reverence your divine image and likeness in our neighbor.  Forgive us for our distorted sight that dehumanizes those who are different from us and divides them into categories that you never created. Enable us to see your image in each person we encounter today, and free us to challenge and erase the classifications we’ve created within our society, our world and ourselves.