At the culmination of His creativity, God made people. Only with this project it was like making a mirror. It reflected God’s own image. What a masterpiece! When God looked at humanity, He saw an image of Himself – and it was really good. It was like looking in the mirror.
But alas, part of that image was the freedom to choose. And people decided to think of themselves more highly than they should. They decided that they were just as good as God. It was like the reflection deciding it was better than the real thing. Only twisted logic would come to that kind of conclusion. But we did.
And with that self-centered opinion we threw mud on the mirror. So now, when God looks at us the image is covered, marred, dirtied. It’s there but it’s hard to see anymore. In our selfishness we have warped the image of God in us so that what comes out is not the pure characteristics of God, but something less. Instead of love, there is lust; instead of grace, there is coercion; instead of transparency, there is subterfuge; instead of mercy, there is demand; instead of hospitality, there is abuse.
Thankfully since that event God has been working hard to make a way for the mirror to be wiped clean. First through prophets, priests, kings, judges and in the culmination of His re-creativity, through Jesus Christ – who is the perfect reflection of God. By means of Jesus’ work, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to be made clean again. Our part is using our freedom to choose.
God begins to wipe away the mud on the mirror. Little at a time, but sure enough, the image begins to reappear. The character of God shows itself again. Love, justice, purity begin to manifest themselves. And we become holy as God is holy. We begin to be restored in the image of God as we were created. We begin to reflect Christ – the perfect image of God. The mirror is being made clean again!