Yesterday I was at the grocery store and I saw a woman there that kind of reminded me of the cat lady on the Simpsons: wild hair, worn skin, disheveled clothing. My first thought when I saw her was "avoid eye contact so she doesn't think you're staring at her" while judging some kind of craziness. The Spirit stopped me right in my tracks and I was reminded of what I have been reading in Genesis: all people are created in the image of God. All people reveal something of God's character and he loves us all.
The most important "training discipline" that I must learn more fully is to love all people. It does not please God when I think that I am better than someone else.
The passage I read in Genesis today was the account of Noah and the flood. I found it interesting that when Noah was allowed off of the ark God gave him three commands: Do not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it and "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man." (Genesis 9:6) The third was to be fruitful and increase upon the earth.
In Genesis 9:5 God says that He will demand from each man an accounting for the life of his fellow man. We're responsible to God for lives other than our own? I know that he wants us to be good and kind to one another, but I've never seen it worded so strongly before.
What does this mean in my life? How can I make the lives of my fellow man better? What lengths does he demand from us in keeping this command?
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Julie,
ReplyDeleteyour idea to blog is awesome! I'm thankful for your willingness to share about what God is teaching you each day. Your insights are tremendous and already given me a lot to think about! 4am wow! You are amazing getting up so early. that seems like the middle of the night to me :) keep it up!