In His Image

This morning, on the way to the vanpool stop, there was a guest on the radio station that my husband listens to. She was talking about her new book, which deals with the self-esteem issues that many women have. (She claims that only 2% of women like what they see in the mirror.) She made several excellent points, but one just stuck in my head: for every single compliment a woman receives (from ANYONE), there are hundreds of negative images she receives every day – from media, and doctors, and celebrities. I must confess, I have struggled with self-esteem all of my life – and most, if not all, of my friends have the same issues. It doesn’t matter what we look like – we don’t like what we see in the mirror.

I have thought about this frequently. And I have chided friends who criticized themselves. And yet, I do it to myself all the time. Where exactly is the disconnect on this issue?

In the first chapter of Genesis, we have a beautiful picture of creation. After God created the world, and the sky, and the land and seas, and plants, and light, and animals of every kind, He saw that it was good. “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind 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 mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26-27, NIV)

Did you catch that, ladies? We are created the image of God. Let me say it again, God created us IN HIS IMAGE! And when He was done creating mankind, He looked at everything, and saw that it was VERY good. When He created land and seas, it was good. When he created all of the creatures of the earth, it was good. But when He created mankind, it was VERY good.

When people look at me, and then look at my parents, I’m always amused when they say I look like one or the other. I certainly do not mind looking like my parents at all (I think they are both attractive people) – the amusement comes because it is split about 50/50 on which parent I do look like. Some are adamant that I look like my father, while others are equally convinced I look like my mother. My guess is that I look something like both of them.

In the same way, I “look” like my heavenly Father, perhaps not in physical appearance, but in the real things that matter. I’m not a perfect copy of Him, at least not yet, but I have been created in His image. What right do I have to criticize something that God created? He made flowers in all shapes and sizes and colors. He made animals that swim, that fly, that crawl, and that walk. It makes sense that He would make a diverse collection of humans, as well. So what if the world tells me that beauty means no wrinkles or shiny hair or any one of a number of arbitrary, external features? God, my CREATOR, tells me “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry of fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” (I Peter 3:3-4, NIV) Here’s to ALL of the beautiful women I call, “FRIEND.” I see God in you – and that makes you beautiful – no argument allowed!