Imago Dei
Last month, I wrote about how Jesus calls us his friend and how that was great news for us all. This month, I want to reflect on even better news; the fact that we are made in the image of God. We are explicitly told this in the first chapter of Genesis, and again in Psalm 139. We (mankind) are image bearers of God the Creator. This honor bestows immeasurable worth to all people.
The month of June is also pride month. Society and corporations are seemingly engaged in a month-long PR campaign for all things LGBTQIA, and a majority of Christians view pride month with hesitation, if not downright hostility. On one side, every rainbow graphic imaginable is presented to us with glee, and on the other side, we are bombarded with messages from Christians about pride month being a celebration of sin, and an acceptance of depravity.
For queer christians, (specifically those who hold to a traditional view of sex and marriage) the month of June comes with complicated feelings. We, yet again, find ourselves in the middle of cultural debates and conversations that we are ironically rarely allowed a voice in. Too often, the dialogue is about us, but not from us. We are again in the middle.
To me and so many others, pride is not a month long PR campaign, and it is not a celebration and acceptance of sin. To us, pride month is an acknowledgement of our existence, in all its uniqueness. It is a chance to celebrate survival, belonging, and freedom. Not too long ago, queer people were not allowed to openly exist without major repercussions, some being fatal. LGBTQIA individuals lived in fear. Some still do. Pride is a way to say “this is my lived experience and there is nothing wrong with that in and of itself.” Pride is a chance to show the next generation that they don’t have to be ashamed. That they don’t have to hide any part of themselves in order to be loved by God, and that they shouldn’t have to hide themselves to be loved by others. I consider it a deep duty to make sure people, especially those who are LGBTQIA, know that they have value, are worthy of dignity, respect, love, and a right to exist freely. May these things never be up for debate again.
Like I mentioned above, we are made in the image of God. All of us. I don’t know about you, but I know that fact is something that brings me great joy. Every part of us was made and is being redeemed by God. I will leave you with a quote from Tim Keller . “To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.”
This month and every month, I hope you see and know how much you are loved by God. I pray that you feel his radical love, mercy, and grace over every part of your life. More than anything, I hope you experience true joy and freedom that is found in him. May your life be filled with people who see and love all parts of you. Friends, delight in the fact that you are his, and he is yours. Happy Pride.
