Genesis 1:26

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

After making the heavens and the earth along with plants, and every kind of animal, God (eternally the Father, Son and Spirit) made man. He specifically made man unique — He sees His very likeness in us.

One day I was driving with some friends to Houston and we passed Sam Houston University. If you’ve been down that way, it’s not hard to recognize the gigantic statue they have of Sam Houston right on the highway. The statue is supposed to represent Sam Houston, as it rightfully bears his image and reflects his leadership and role in the establishment of the United States. When we drove by that statue, it made me call to remembrance what I learned about him in my high school history classes. His image on the statue didn’t make me think of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, or any other epic hero for the U.S — only Sam Houston.

If you’re a basketball fan, you’ve seen Michael Jordan’s statue in Chicago during a pre-game show or maybe you might have seen it in person. That statue bears Jordan’s image and makes one think of the great game winning shots he made, his hops when dunking on folks, and his ability to lead a team to get six championship rings. When you look at the image of the statue, you begin to reflect on who they are.

Let’s apply this to the fact that we are those statues for the King of kings and Lord of lords! We are made in His image. That doesn’t necessarily mean we look exactly like Him (Father, Son, and Spirit) but it means we have the ability and characteristics to reflect Him and give Him glory with the very breath He has given us. Unlike the animals, we uniquely bear our Maker’s image.

Therefore, in all our choices, words, and behavior, we need to represent Him. Since sin has come into this world, our hearts love to go our own way, and the desire and freedom to reflect God has to be restored. Jesus stepped down from His throne, perfectly imaged God, died on the cross for our failure in imaging God, and resurrected, proving to be sinless. He did this to redeem us, make us brand new, and restore us in relationship with God, to be empowered to live for Him and tell the world of His holiness and love. May the world not confuse you regarding who you live for and what you’re reflecting.