"God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth.' " (Genesis 1:27-28 NIV)
And fill the earth we did.Today over seven billion people from thousands of ethnic groups live on earth. God is so much greater than we can imagine and so far beyond our ability to comprehend, I think, perhaps, it takes people of many different races and cultures to even begin to reflect his image.
If I want to exercise healthy faith, I need to follow God, the Father and Creator, and treasure diversity as much as he does. I need to see the wonder and beauty in those who are different from me. I need to appreciate diverse ethnic groups from around the world.
I've been privileged to meet people from Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia,Cameroon, Canada,Chile,China,Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic,Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,Germany,Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iran,Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, South Africa, South Korea, Spain,Taiwan, and Syria.
They are as unique and lovely as the multitude of flowers that cover the earth. Each one is a tiny piece of the mosaic of humankind that reflects the image of God.
Those with healthy faith practice love and acceptance for all people everywhere.This is not a natural human response to those who look, sound, or act differently than us. We are sometimes fearful of people who have a different worldview than ours.This fear is amplified by news outlets seeking increased ratings, politicians manipulating voters to get elected, and thousands of posts each day on social media.I will never be able to see people through God's lens of love in my own power.Only God's spirit residing in me can help me relate to others with love, acceptance, and caring.
If I say that I'm a Christian, I have to assume the attitude of Christ.The Son of God was sent into our messy, fearful world to show us how deep and wide and high God's love is for every single person he created.The theme that runs through everything Jesus said about relationships is love. And it's not just a suggestion. We are commanded to love one another. In fact, Jesus said the world will know we are his disciples based on the depth of our love for each other.
The creation story reveals that each day when God completed his creative work for that day, "God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1 NIV). If I intentionally focus on the wonders of nature, I see goodness and splendor all around me. And if I intentionally look for what is beautiful and holy in the people God created, I will surely find it.
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