An Image Crisis

Where have I been these past few weeks? It seems like I've had zero motivation to write for anyone but myself...and I'm really quite sorry because I realize that somehow (I suppose by the grace of Jesus) this blog encourages others. Regardless, of my past laziness and my now unconfident feelings to publicly write again.. I will. I have something important to share.

It all happened when, about three days ago, I neutrally commented on something about myself... it wasn't negative but it wasn't positive. I can't exactly remember what I said about myself, so forgive me for the lack of specific example..but maybe it was something about my appearance (all in context it made sense) and immediately, a little girl I babysit for stopped in her tracks, she looked straight at me and asked, "Anna, what does it mean to be an image bearer?" I didn't really pick up on her point because I had so nonchalantly said that comment I wasn't realizing where she was going with it (more like the "trap" she was setting :)). Anyways, I responded, "I suppose it means 'likeness' or 'to be like'." Dead panned she declared, "You are like God, he wants you to love that you get to be like him!"

Caught entirely off guard by her kind rebuke, I nodded my head in agreement. She will never understand that those words moved me- my heart flinched because of what she said, my soul winced at her direct honesty and my failure to live accordingly.

Here's the string of thoughts that came from her statement "You are LIKE God, he wants you to love that YOU get to be LIKE him." I've thought a lot about what she said, so I've taken her words to lengths and depths, hopefully it all makes sense.

From the second man was created, God, in his ridiculously sweet nature, made us in His image. He desired me to have a heart like his, to have eyes that see like his, ears that hear like his, feet that serve like his; He wanted me to know, in the deepest part of my heart, that I am modeled after the most perfect Being in all of time and outside of all time.
I get easily sidetracked though. The enemy knows how to tug my heart strings. In my twisted sinful heart, I begin chasing images that I can never have- things that I seriously can never be. Why? Because I already have an image... I'm already modeled after something..SomeONE. That's where sin comes in (ie our forgetfulness that we already have an image) we try to find other things to define us instead of yielding to our innate image after God. We decide that "we've got it all under control" that "we know what we want" and live a life contrary, in direct rebellion against, who we were created to be.

BAM! That's who we are. That's who I am.

In essence, I'm one of those little girls who refuses to come when I'm called by my real name because I decided I wanted to be a Juliette instead of an Anna. You know, Anna just didn't cut it any more.... Juliette sounds so much more exciting, thrilling, beautiful- I'd rather be known by that name. Mom? I hope you're okay that. I just really don't like the name you gave me... Please, would you start calling me Juliette?
It doesn't work!!! No matter how much I want to be a Juliette, I will forever be known by "Anna" to the people who truly know me.

This is the best analogy I can think of to relate how our heavenly Papa looks at me when I want my sin and my sinful ways instead of the image I already have. But, you know what, no matter what Jesus knows me. I can claim a different name all I want, but he knows me. And he tells me he desires that I claim the name HE has given me- the name he created me in. That's the part where I repent and Jesus' blood washed me clean...and then I WALK IN THE NAME HE HAS GIVEN ME. His own image.

If you are in a spot, right now, where you are only known by your sins... by the way people SEE you live, rest in the fact that there is HOPE. The very One who gave you your image knows the image you bear even when you forget. He knows your heart. I beg you, repent and be called by your real name.




**Post inspired by my reading of Colossians 3, Genesis 1, and the kind reminders Jesus gives through little children**