I recently mentioned the concept of searching for pieces of the image of God in everyone we meet. Remarkably, I once had decided to take my own advice. Two years ago, all day long, everywhere I went, I tried to find something in each person I encountered that reflected God in some way. The results were interesting......
For lunch, I ordered a sandwich at a deli. The young woman who took my order spends her day quickly slapping sandwiches together as they come to her in the form of detailed orders on a computer screen. Her job doesn't require her to interact in any way with the people who have ordered the sandwich via a touch screen menu board. Their order arrives as a number, and when she completes the order she simply places the finished sandwich on the pick up counter and calls out the order number. Even before she made my lunch I observed that as she worked she noticed if anyone showed interest. If they did, she would ask if it was their sandwich she was making. If it was, she'd personalize the automated service and talk to them as she proceeded.
When she engaged me in conversation, I told her I that the bible says we are made in the image of God, and that I had seen a reflection of God in her. She laughed as if that was completely impossible.... then asked me what I had seen. I told her that her job is designed by her company so that she is an invisible worker with no interaction with her customers required, but she reaches across the technology to speak directly to each customer, then quoted Paul's words from Colossians that Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God. I told her that when she reached across the technology to speak directly to customers it reflected the image of Jesus who reached across eternity to speak directly to us when we could not have required Him to.
If you examine a hundred evangelism tracts, almost all try too quickly to reveal to people the failings of their sin. While it is a biblical truth that they must come to clearly see in order to be saved, it is so confrontational that many people immediately close the conversation. My sandwich maker was instead fascinated that something in her might reflect God, and she easily spoke with me about Jesus. She was smiling and happy to consider spiritual matters when the conversation began in an encouraging way. I think the Holy Spirit taught me something very important in that conversation. I’ve since had several others that went similarly, although the various participants reflected God in various ways. All spoke easily and openly with me about Jesus. I'm certain they each were intrigued enough at the accusation of reflecting God that they told someone else about the conversation.
The bible tells us -- (Hosea 4:6 NKJV) -- My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. All of those I spoke to about the way they reflect the image of God allowed me to freely quote the bible to them as the definitive source of truth. All were told that Jesus died for their sins. I told my sandwich maker that she probably also reflected in some way images opposing God. I told her we all do from time to time and shared Romans 3:10 - There is no righteous man. No, not even one.... I was able conclude by informing her that Jesus didn't just come to talk to us, but to die to pay the price for our sins. She seemed completely unaware of this information. It's going to cost me a couple more sandwiches to complete sharing the Gospel with her, but its well worth the price.
And by the way, she had some piercings and was wearing a pentagram, had a couple of not so good tattoos. She dressed in a sexual provocative way. Many things about her appearance could have informed me not to waste my time on her if I had let my natural evaluation supersede my search for God's image in her.
The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV)
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