Whose Image Am I

Let us make man in our image to be like us. (Gen. 1:26) was swirling around in my head the other morning. I had to stop and ask – what exactly is your image, Lord? If I look around just at the people in the Christian community there are several to choose from. Then as quickly as I asked He answered… My image is Jesus. 

Our culture encourages us to look at others, compare ourselves, and size up whether we are better or worse. I am often guilty of this. I am guilty of trying to imitate another to shape myself into the image of what I think must be better than me. It hit me like a ton of bricks of just how easily I can get caught up in trying to create myself in the image of man, instead of recognizing I’ve been created in the image of the CREATOR! Just take a moment and let that one soak in…(I had to, which followed with a deep sign and an even deeper ‘Forgive me, Lord.’) 

Some of our adaptation is so natural. Being around people we pick up their mannerisms, we are attracted to their styles and replicate them. We can even begin to own their philosophies on life and implement them! All the while creating a replica of that person at the risk of loosing the unique image of the original design! 

Although this is found everywhere in commercials, movies, music, and the internet to which all promote “a better you!” Alarming enough, it’s rampant in the Body of Christ!

We accept Christ, who is the visible image of an invisible God, as our Lord and Savior; however, instead of getting to know our creator better, and turning into what He is like, we turn to other believers. We watch their mannerism, learn their language, replicate their dress, and attempt to imiate their lifestyle – all the while re-creating ourselves in the image of another person to which we reflect another believer, not necessarily Christ!

It could be stated that believers are the image of Christ… but I would dare to say most are not. Most are, to some degree, a creation of man; formed from a new set of rules which are disguised in a list of do’s and don’ts, and marketed under “To Be a Christian.”

Christ poured himself out upon a cross, so that at the moment we realized our need for Him, He’d be poured into us. Yet, we strive to be a “Christian” but not to be like Christ!

So, how do we know whose image we are reflecting most? The answer is found in one question:

How well do you know the person of Christ? 

If our answer is Not much beyond my salvation. Then we can be pretty confident that our reflection is that of another believer and not of Christ. Many of us know believers more intimately than we know the Savior.

What Do We Do To Be More Like Christ? 

1. Repent – which means to turn from what we are doing. Turn our eyes upon Jesus and off of the image of man. 

2. Begin getting in our Word (Start in the Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and learning who Jesus is and doing what He does. The Bible says if we are not doers of the word but only hearers, the only image we will see in the mirror is our own! 

3. Ask the Lord to remove the many masks that we’ve applied. The Bible says that those with unveiled faces will behold the reflection of God in their mirror. 

It is the character change that Christ does on the inside that reflects His image on the outside.

Now Your Turn: Why do you think believers, who are saved by the creator, get trapped in trying to create themselves into new image? Let’s Chat…