The season of Lent is a time to reflect on who we are in reality and who we are called to be and become in Christ. It has been a season focused on many things over the centuries – but the call to include “repentance” on the list has always been near the center of the season.
We will also be using the season to reflect on the current Guiding Principles at Zion and this week we will begin by looking at the first two principles:
- Growing in faithfulness to be more Christ-like
- Honoring the image of God present in ourselves and each person we meet
These two principles function at the front of our values for a reason. They are the foundation for all that we do.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to embody Jesus in our lives – to represent him well and continue the ministry of Jesus in all that we do. It is our baptismal calling and the central reason for the church’s existence. That’s why we start with the recognition of a process and journey that we are all on – one to become more Christ-like.
At the same time, as we see Jesus do his work and as we dig into scripture, the first chapter of Genesis at the very beginning of the Bible reminds us that God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, and male and female God made them…” Each and every person begins with their identity marked with the image of God.
So what does this mean for us as Christians?
First, it means that we treat every person with respect by virtue of their existence as a human being. There is no one (even people we don’t like) who doesn’t deserve to be treated as a person. It is this foundation that allows Jesus to say that loving God and loving our neighbors are so interlaced – God literally looks like your neighbor!
Second, it reminds us that we are growing in faithfulness. To become Christ-like is not a moment in time – it is a journey. Christ promises to dwell with and within us in our baptism. Life’s journey is the process of better listening to what the Apostle Paul called “the mind of Christ,” so that our actions reflect more than our base instinct and instead our hands, feet and words are directly reflecting Christ’s will in who we are and what we do.
So – rejoice that you are of great value. You bear the image of God. But also remember that you are not who you are to become. You are on a journey to mature into the fullness of Christ. May our shared lives together help all of us as we seek to represent Christ well.
