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Christianity Today, July, 2009 |

To Kill or to Love—That Was the Question

Rethinking the image of God helped me to decide.

Brandon O'Brien | posted 7/17/2009 10:15AM

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This perspective on the image of God has broader implications than the fair treatment of seventh graders. We're often encouraged to recognize that the immigrant or refugee or sex worker is made in the image of God. But what about the dictator or the rapist or the convict? How would our ministry change if our focus was incarnating the image of God to the poor and the oppressed as well as to the powerful and the offender? It seems to me that the doctrine of the imago dei has less to do with who we serve and more to do with how.

I found a wealth of direction from Scripture on how to apply this new insight. If God is slow to anger and abounding in love (Ps. 86:15), then I should be too (James 1:19). If he opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (Prov. 3:34), so should I (James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5). In short, because I am called to display the image of God, I should imitate him, with the Holy Spirit's help. This is not an easier calling. In fact, it's much more demanding. And it doesn't provide concrete guidelines about what to do next in any given situation. But still, it's clearer than "treat him with respect" and more helpful than "don't slander" and "don't kill."

I wish I could report that this revelation made everything better. It didn't. I still struggled with Stewart on a near-daily basis. But I realized, at last, that my struggle wasn't really with him at all. It was with me. And as soon as I recognized how far I had to go to be an accurate representation of Christ, I became much more gracious about Stewart's faults. He served quite a lot of detention. But I served it with him, because I realized that I, too, am in need of transformation.

Brandon O'Brien is assistant editor for Leadership journal and BuildingChurchLeaders.com.

Related Elsewhere:

Previous articles by Brandon O'Brien for Christianity Today include:

Novel Teachers | Learning real-life lessons from imaginary ministers. (March 2, 2009)

A Jesus for Real Men | What the new masculinity movement gets right and wrong. (April 18, 2008)

Emergent's Divergence | Leaders hope decentralizing power will revitalize the movement. (December 18, 2008)

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July 2009, Vol. 53, No. 7

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Lee	Posted: July 26, 2009 9:15 PM


I appreciate this struggle. This child sounds like a child with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. I work with many families who are frustrated by these kids who have behavior issues but blame others, probably because they are used to falling short. There is help.

Scoti Springfield Domeij

Posted: July 26, 2009 11:50 AM


It was painful for me to read the conversation that never took place. As a single mom whose sons who disparately longed their father after he chose to leave, it seemed clearly obvious to me that Stewart acted out of pain, desiring for a male to take a sincere interest in him as a person, not just as a student.

Karen

Posted: July 23, 2009 9:20 AM


Bless your heart! I was totally blessed by your article. And I mean TOTALLY!! God has deeply spoken to my heart and spirit through you words. Thank you.

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