Kid Definition: Image Bearer
Created to Display God
It pleased our God to create a vast universe filled with countless fiery balls of gas and millions of unique and unknown orbs in the heavens. His pleasure also produced creatures to fills the earth; from the tiniest specimens in holes to the giant mammals that roam. God created all things and all things display His creative pleasure and power.
But when God created humanity, He gave them a special distinction. It pleased Him to create humanity in His own image and gave each person the responsibility to display His glory and likeness.
From this theological position, we find that all people are valuable simply because they are walking, talking, and breathing representatives of the Holy creator.
Image
a visual representation of something
exact likeness
Bearer
a person or thing that carries or holds something.
Why is this important?
The ramifications of how committed we are to the truth behind the term "image bearer" has everything to do with how Christians lead or fall in the question of racial reconciliation that our world so badly needs right now. Christians are the people who have a world view and spiritual teaching that ought to make us leaders in the fight to treat all people as equal....and valuable.....and beautiful.
Teaching your Children that ALL people bear the image of God
Children begin there life in some ways as blank slates, but we must also understand that they are going to be dealing with sin; sin that will cause them to lose the innocence of relationship and play.
As Christian parents we need to teach the truth that all people carry the image of God, and are consequently beautiful and deserving of dignity.
With a hope to help our children honor others into adulthood we must teach them that all people are image bearers. Below are five commitments that all Christian parents need to make a priority for their family.
1) Treat ALL people in your life and community as valuable.
2) Wonder together at the beauty of God's creation in ALL people.
3) Purposefully expose your children to many different culture.
4) Choose to be mindful of others and honor their heritage and history.
5) Call the sin of racism an abomination before God and repent.
This theological conversation must happen in our homes and with our kids if we are going to handle the current racial injustice in a Christlike way and learn to live in a way that makes sure that bearing the image of God means something.
