Devotion.al

Tag: Imago Dei

  • Godly Disrupting

    Genesis 37:2–11, Luke 2:13–19, Luke 2:41–51

    Joseph’s dreams were a problem. That the figures in the dreams were readily identified by the participants tells us that the visions were easy to understand, Joseph explained the visions for them, or God also gave Joseph’s brothers and the ability to understand them.

    Even assuming Joseph was indeed a spoiled brat, scripture does not say he explained his dreams. In fact, if we cheat and look ahead, the dreams all need to be interpreted. While Joseph is indeed the interpreter later, he does not seem to be now. That is open to discussion, of course.

    The real matter of interest is that Israel “kept the matter in mind.” While Israel could (and possibly should) have chided his , regardless, he kept all these dreams in mind. Parents have a tendency to keep some of the strangest (or surprising) words and actions of their children in mind, or what people say about them.

    Take Mary, for another example. There was no question her son, , was the target of much interest. She heard wonderful and amazing things about her son. Her son said some interesting things to her. Regardless of how unsettling they might have been, she kept them in her .

    What is it about these parents that kept these particular events so strongly in their memories? Perhaps it was the whisper of the saying, “watch this.” Perhaps it is that part of us–the —that resonates with the movement of God.

    1) We read scripture, often passing over seemingly inconsequential things. Do you think that there have been opportunities to “resonate” with God’s movement that you have missed or ignored?

    2) If God were to have a memento book of you, what things do you think God would “keep in his heart?” What do you want God to “keep in his heart?”

    3) Often things that are the most unsettling, can be the most transformative. Is there something unsettling in your that you need to allow to transform you?

  • Measuring Value

    Acts 3:1–26, Acts 14:8–18

    All of us have experienced—or know some close who has—a significant health issue, whether going on for years, or for a short time. Often those health issues come with significant costs, too, making a bad situation even worse. It also isn’t necessarily a matter of good or bad health care insurance. It is all the stuff surrounding the issue that often has the greatest cost.

    In the era of Acts, and even as recent as today, people who are disabled (physically or developmentally) are viewed as a waste. What the crippled men experienced is, sadly, no different than what many experience today. Outcast. Forced to beg. Their families brought them to beg. people into . That was their value.

    We all have a to judge people on the value they bring to us. Do they make us happy? Do they take care of us? Or the flip side, what does this continuing doing to me? How is this keeping me from what I want to do?*

    When we judge people by value, we judge people just as if they were things. People are not things. They have God’s image in them ().

    Peter, John, , and Barnabas could have allowed themselves to be valued by the results of the healings. Had they done so, however, they would have not been acting within the framework of God, and it’s questionable how effective they would have been afterward. Instead, they pointed to . They could have allowed themselves to be used, as many of us do to “friends” and influence. They pointed to God.

    1) Have you ever found yourself evaluating people on their value to you?

    2) Have you ever believed that someone pretended to like or even you because of what you could do for them?

    3) Do you think God values you because of what you can do for God, or is there something else?

    *This, of course, does not mean remain in an abusive relationship.