The Image of God

"Lord, I’ve always wanted to take a road trip to Hawaii. Could you build me a bridge to Hawaii?”
One day the Lord appeared to a biker. The Lord said “You have been a good example to all the other bikers. You’ve been a courteous driver, respectful to women, temperate in your habits, and you’ve kept in touch. Ask me for your heart desires!”
The biker thought for a moment. “Lord, I’ve always wanted to take a road trip to Hawaii. Could you build me a bridge to Hawaii?”
“That would tie up a lot of men and materials,” replied the Lord. “Is there any thing else your heart yearns for?”
“Well, Lord, I really love my wife, but she really confuses me sometimes. Could you help me understand women?
The Lord was silent. Then He said, “Would you like that bridge to be four lanes or two?”
In case you’re confused, the preceding is just a story. But, not too many years ago, I was in the same condition that the biker was in. I respected women, and I cherished my wife, but women confused and, sometimes, frightened me.
Then God revealed to me a cherished misconception that I was holding on to. I understood basically that man was created in the image of God. It was also obvious and simple observation. Women had an irreplaceable role in raising children. Since the woman was created separately, I assumed that they were an alien race. They were beautiful, necessary, but unfathomable, incomprehensible!
God reminded me that they too were in the image of God. All of the characteristics that God possessed they possessed. The fierceness, the passion, the love of beauty, the strength, etc., it was all there, in different proportions than men, but still there. Some qualities that I thought were unique to women were also in men, but in smaller, or dormant portions, such as the love of beauty, awareness, tenderness.
God also reminded me that it was my mother who mentored me, who encouraged me in both the love of beauty, especially music, and pushed me into being fierce, to defend myself and others. She encouraged me to be fearless, for she was a fearless woman. She was like that because she was made in the image of God.
We all are.
If you want to know who you are, then you must know, know in the deepest sense, who God is. If you want to know God, you must look to the cross. Fierce, fearless love.
Happy Mother’s Day!
This sermon was originally preached to Family Bible Fellowship under my original blog name The Shepherd’s Journal/ May 11, 2008/ The Image of God