Image. | A Weekly Word 2022

Every one of us, no matter our circumstance, was created in God’s image and should be treated with the honor and respect that is due to God’s image-bearer. Understanding that we are thoughtfully designed in God’s divine image should lay the foundation for how we perceive ourselves.

Our self image, along with our other “self” concepts like self-esteem, self-worth, and self-confidence, typically begin to form in childhood. These self-concepts are less tied to being the imager-bearers of God, and are more so colored by the projections of our parents or caregivers. Internalizing negative messages about who we are during our childhood can distort our self image for years to come. Those distortions cause us to subconsciously create ways to protect ourselves, and as a result many of us wear “masks” intended to shield us from potential injury or re-injury. 

This mask is the public persona, or public image, that we present to the world. Many of these personas – like people pleaser or do-gooder, center of attention or mean girl – are there to either help us gain the validation of others or to keep them from getting too close so as not to invalidate us. 

By taking a God-self-others approach, however, we allow God’s image to inform our self image, first. And a self-image that is rooted in our sanctity as God’s image-bearer will create a public persona that is more aligned with our authentic selves. This will lead us to treat ourselves, and interact with others, in love and with reverence. Our authentic self, and not external validation, is where we will find the truest sense of peace, compassion and affirmation for ourselves and the people around us.

Passage

God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

Prayer

God, thank you for creating us in your image. Thank you for the divine in each of us. Thank you for your grace as we strive to be more like you day after day. Help me to reframe my own self image around the knowledge that I was designed by You and in Your likeness. Allow me to affirm, love, honor myself and others as the image-bearers of God that we are. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Practice

This week, I will acknowledge a mask that I have worn to protect my inner child. I will commit to shedding the mask in favor of honoring my authentic self.