So much energy in today’s society is spent pointing out our differences, but the way I see it, we are more than our differences. We have all been created in God’s image, which makes us much more alike than different. Being created in God’s image goes beyond appearance; it also encompasses behaviors, feelings, and emotions. The more time we spend with God, the more we recognize God’s presence in all creation. It sounds like I’m talking in circles when I say that God created each of us to be uniquely the same—to be individually connected. Let me explain!
We might look different, but our bodies all contain energy and matter. Some might consider themselves more righteous than others, but God loves us all the same. Some have committed awful acts against humanity, but God forgives us and makes us white as snow through the blood of Jesus. You see, no matter what we’ve done or how we’ve behaved, God forgives us when we repent. We don’t earn God’s love; He gives it freely.
Our connection to God is personal and relational, as should be our connectedness to nature, animals, and one another. Wouldn’t it be amazing if we felt so connected that when hurting someone else, we personally felt their pain? Wouldn’t it be incredible to have such respect for nature that we refused to damage the earth or cause the extinction of God’s creatures through our selfish sense of entitlement?
I’m no conservationist, but I am astounded when I hear the rate at which we are consuming God’s natural resources. When I see the inhumane treatment of others by those in power, I can’t help but think of how disconnected we have become. Like me, I’m sure you too feel saddened by these things, but just imagine how our behavior must grieve the Holy Spirit. It’s not too late to show our love to each other and for the things God has entrusted to us. After all, in John 15:12-13 we are commanded to love. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
It’s time many of us had an attitude adjustment, don’t you think? Instead of feeling entitled, we should come to the table with appreciation and thankfulness. Instead of seeking power, we should serve. Instead of judging and oppressing the weak, we should humble ourselves before the Lord and pray for all to be free. Galatians 5:13 NIV says, You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. When we learn to be true servants of God, He sets us aside from the world. We no longer do as the world would have us do. God replaces our worldly logic with spiritual wisdom. In Matthew 20:16 NIV, we see evidence of this when God reveals to us: So, the last will be first, and the first will be last.
Obviously, this kind of thinking contradicts what the world teaches. As Christians, God wants us to aspire to be different from simply the most powerful, beautiful, or intelligent. God wants us to stand apart from the world so others might see His ways, know His character, and see His glory. In doing so, believers become more than their differences. We fulfill God’s purpose to love each other and care for His creation as He originally intended. Instead of being bound by division and war, we will be united through God’s love and grace. When we recognize that we were created in God’s image, only then will we be able to truly walk in His Spirit and connect to His creation.