In God's Eyes - Pt 1

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28 ESV). “Diversity” seems to be the new catch word of our time. Democrats accuse the Republicans of not being diverse enough; and, Republicans accuse the Democrats of being blind to the truth of their broad diversity. Well, without going any further down that rabbit hole and becoming Alice in Wonderland, let me say that few really understand that God did not create humankind to be “diverse.” He created us to be cooperative and supportive. Adam without Eve was incomplete; he wasn’t finished. It was never about individuals standing alone; it was about being who God made us to be in his image. Men are important in God’s eyes, but so are women. If I asked you to name some Old Testament characters, who would come to mind? Abraham, Moses, David? Would you think of Sarah, Deborah, or Ruth? We must never forget that women as well as men play a prominent role in the history of God’s salvation. In this series of devotionals, I plan to examine some of the women who appear in the pages of the Old Testament and have played significant roles in biblical history. I want to focus on the lessons we can derive from their lives. Genesis 1:27 says that when God created human beings, he created them in his own image; then he adds “male and female he created them.” Male and female. Each one fully in the image of God! In God’s creation structure, men and women stand equal to each other before God. Today, we often make value judgments about people according gender, social group, nationality, or economic ability, but God doesn’t. He knows how each individual fits into his purpose and plan. He knows how each is gifted to a task within the community of faithful. It is a lesson we would do well to learn and understand. Interestingly, Paul says that according to God’s plan for re-creating the fallen human race we should not make such judgments. In Christ “there is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female” (cf. Galatians 3:28). Any attempt we make to devalue one another, regardless of gender, race, or economic group is not a part of God’s purpose or plan. It displeases God and is simply wrong. Of course we are not the same, but we are all created in his image. In his eyes we are all essential.