We Are All Equal
When I think about the word “sin,” I think about things like lying, coveting, gossip, and murder. But as I continue to observe the current state of humanity, it is obvious that the sin of pride displaying itself through elitism and supremacy has pervaded both our past and our present.
Jesus’s Model
As we follow the earthly life of Jesus in the gospels, he makes it abundantly clear he loves everyone. In fact, he goes to some radically extreme lengths, given the cultural norms of the time, to break down the elitism. Let’s consider just a few.
It begins early in his ministry as he selects his disciples. Logic might have dictated that he would choose those who had dedicated their lives to Scripture and to obeying God. He instead chose humble fishermen and a tax collector. He later goes on to admonish the religious leaders about how prideful and haughty they have become.
Then there is the beautiful story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. Jews and Samaritans did not associate with each other in those times. Jesus not only treats her with dignity, but he shares the kingdom of God with her. This is one of the earlier indications that the good news was for everyone and not only for God’s chosen people, the Jews.
A third example, also emphasizing the discord between the Jews and Samaritans, is the parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10. Jesus is having a conversation with a religious leader who wants validation. When he asks Jesus who his neighbor is, Jesus answers with the parable. The story is about a man attacked by robbers and beaten. Two people, a priest and a Levite, whom one would expect would help the poor man, pass by on the other side and ignore the injured man. Only the Samaritan, a man hated by Jews, lovingly helped the man, generously nursing him back to health.
Imago Dei
When we consider that God created each and every one of us, we can clearly conclude that God loves diversity. He loves color. He loves differences. He values variety. He loves all of those things, and yet each of us, with all of our differences, has the stamp of his image on us. We have his imago Dei, or “image of God,” and it is beautiful.
When we view others, we see what is on the outside first. We see if someone is extremely overweight. We see if they walk with a limp due to a lame leg. We notice the blue hair or the sleeve tattoos. Noticing these things is one thing, but forming judgments around them instead of recognizing the imago Dei in them is another.
Imagine if we could train our brains to see God’s image in others before we allow our minds to head to a place of judgment. What a kinder world we’d be living in!
Rewriting History
I know sin entered humanity in the garden and is here with us to stay until Jesus returns. I understand that we cannot rewrite history. However, imagine with me what might be different if elitism, or supremacy, was removed.
The Jews would never have been enslaved by the Egyptians. Roman citizens would have seen the Jews in Jesus’s time as equals. Judah never would have been exiled to Babylon. Africans would never have been enslaved to do the bidding of Europeans and Americans. The levels of class in Europe would never have been so difficult to escape.
The harm that has been created by the constant creation of class, caste, and supremacy in our human history is beyond what we can truly comprehend. We cannot undo it quickly. We must be dedicated to kindness, equality, and equity for the long haul. We must acknowledge that centuries of mistreatment have an effect on a group that cannot be undone in one generation.
Examining Our Hearts
Consider where you might typically judge someone as inferior. It could be for any reason: homelessness, obesity, disability, race, appearance. We are all guilty. Change starts with prayer and submission to the Holy Spirit, and it moves to reframing our own thoughts.
When I notice myself slipping into believing I’m superior to another human, I ask God to show me how he sees that person through his eyes. I ask him to reframe my thinking and remind me that I am in as much need of grace and mercy as they are.
As we slowly but surely emerge from this global pandemic that has reminded us we are all susceptible to a mutating virus, we have a chance to reconsider how we relate to others. Let’s remind ourselves that those who disagree with us on how to handle the pandemic were made in God’s image. Let’s remember that those who disagree with us politically were also made in God’s image. We can disagree with others without believing ourselves to be better than them.
May we recognize the imago Dei and remember that God’s love extends and even overflows to those on the margins, and that we are meant to follow his lead.
is a Jesus follower, wife, mom of three, finance director, and lover of sarcasm and deep conversations with friends. She also loves camping, rafting, skiing, sewing, and hosting others in her home.
Photograph © Joel Muniz, used with permission
