“So God created man in his own image” (Genesis 1:27)
If you looked at Reid’s and my calendar, you would find it filled with appointments for doctor’s visits, physical therapy, procedures, and surgeries. If we have a day on our schedule that does not include any medical personnel, we consider it a good day. This is life when the “golden years” become not so golden. A couple of weeks ago we both had eye exams. The result was new glasses for me and a slight procedure for a small tear in Reid’s retina.
I wish it would be that easy for us to have our mental field of vision adjusted. A new pair of glasses or a simple procedure. Especially when it comes to how we view people. Let’s be honest. We spend a lot of time judging one another. We label one another as being lazy, foolish, selfish, fat, uneducated, old, addicted. We may not speak these labels out loud, but they are firmly planted in our minds.
We could well learn from the ancient Hebrews what is referred to as the “Law of Adjectives.” It involves placing the adjective before the noun. Example: we may say a pink flower, but in the law of adjectives the noun flower is first, then the adjective pink. Hence it is a flower, that is pink. This is a very valuable lesson when it comes to defining other people.
Jesus looked upon people this way. When he encountered the woman at the well, he did not see “a sinful woman”. He saw a woman who was in a sinful lifestyle. Why the difference? Simple. Jesus knew that everyone was created in the image of his Father before they had fallen into a sinful condition. He saw another woman as a woman first, but one who was caught in the state of adultery. He saw a man as a man first, but one who happened to be possessed by a demon. Jesus knew that his death on the cross had the power to separate adjectives from nouns, people from their evil ways, from their sinfulness, their fallenness. He could first see people in their original created state as a human being made in the image of his Father – the noun. He then looked upon their human condition of sin – the adjective.
We all need an adjustment when it comes to how we view other people. We need to stop seeing them as sinful, fallen, crippled, defiled, broken; and see first the noun, the person God has made in his image. We need to see the one Jesus Christ died for in order to help them become the full potential God created them to be. And may I add that we need to see ourselves this way also. Stop labeling yourself with negative critical adjectives. Look in the mirror and see the beautiful noun God created you to be, and then live your life as the person he redeemed you to become. The one with a beautiful adjective. It’s time we all get our vision checked!
Darlene