The first topic is a line I heard in a sermon, years ago, from one of the best preachers around. He’s retired now, but he was the whole package – profound preacher, effective leader and compassionate pastor. I wish there were more like him.
The line is this”
“You will find the face of God in the person you find most difficult to love.”
At first, it seems a really BIG ask.
If we are all created in God’s image then we, each of us, is the face of God to whomever we meet. If we are all created in God’s image then we, each of us, has the power, with our words and deeds, to influence whomever we meet If we are all created in God’s image, then we, each of us, has the power to sway with Love and Kindness or with Anger and Cruelty. We have the power to trust or mistrust, engage with or ignore the people we encounter every day.
Some of those people will be those with whom we have much in common, who are members of our family, who are friends and neighbors, trusted and loved. No real problem there. Love is easy even if liking isn’t always possible.
Then there are those that just rub us the wrong way. Those people that just, without any good reason, give you the feeling of “Nope, that person isn’t someone I can like. Don’t know why, it’s just not gonna happen.” There isn’t any interaction, good or bad. We just move on, without encounter. Again, no real problem, right?
But the group that presents the biggest problem is the group that is so very easy to judge, dislike and even hate. Parents neglecting or abusing their children. People abandoning, abusing or neglecting sweet dogs or cats. Corrupt politicians and business leaders, more intent on power and gain than the good of their constituents or employees, whose corruption oppresses. Those who deal in drugs, sex, human trafficking, murder….how are we to see the face of God in these people? Are they REALLY made in God’s image?
One read through the Old Testament will show you that that behavior has been going on for millinnea. I think the Old Testament is one of the bloodiest, most violent books around. And the corruption that is detailed? LEGEND! All that we encounter now was always thus.
So, how do we Love in the face of evil, corruption, filth, horrible behavior – it’s a BIG ask. A very BIG ask.
I think we have to start by remembering the second greatest commandment which still remains “Love your neighbor as yourself.” AS YOURSELF. Not as some abstract being but AS YOURSELF.
So how do we beging to love our neighbors as ourselves? How do we go about finding the face of God in those most difficult to love?
Upon reflection, and thinking about the implications of seeing God’s face, I began to think that is the only way we can learn about ourselves and grow as humans.
For me, it takes a lot of thought, prayer and reflection.
I’ve thought about that often and from many different perspectives.
The first was from the perspective of someone irritated by a spouse/co-worker/family member/neighbor – someone who is in your life every day and is just the most difficult person to tolerate. They micro-manage every aspect of your day at work. They dictate every situation at home – food, venue, entertainment, social network – to the exclusion of your own needs. They are the negative influence in the neighborhood – letting their animals run loose, letting the party go on too long (and loud), turning friendly sports into nasty competitions. They are the loud and mean drunks ruining what should be happy occasions. They are the family members greedy for attention and a hand-out. I could find very little to love in any of these people. I had to think – where was I to find the face of God in these horribly irritating people?
So I thought: about the motivation in each circumstance. What makes a person micro-manage? Are they so worried about their own jobs? Or could it be they are so worried about the people they manage and the fate of those jobs that they go overboard to make sure everything is done correctly?
What makes a person in a marriage become the arbiter of the home? Is it just that they are selfish and self-absorbed and want everything their own way? That’s very easy to believe and a fall back position for me, I must admit. But I had to find a way to love past the irritation. Could it be that they had no choices when they grew up? Was their home severely controlled by a parent or sibling? Was there no access to choice of food or entertainment due to poverty? Or could it be that the other spouse is the peace-maker, willing to give in to avoid conflict of any kind? If seen as a result of a difficult home-life as a child, the motivation made more sense. When viewed as an issue of avoiding conflict, part of the fault lay with the spouse unwilling or unable to voice their needs.
You can see the exercise: by trying to find the reason for the behavior that is so off-putting, we can find a way to look beyond the behavior and see the person. In the face of those who seem nothing shy of purely evil, those who profit by or take pleasure in the exploitation, pain or suffering of others, I have no answers beyond these two: 1) prayer for the souls of those so corrupted and influenced by demons they cause pain and suffering to all they encounter and 2) a life of service and activism, in any way small or large, to combat those forces of evil in this world, in whatever form they take and to support the victims of cruelty, oppression and violence.
Being an empathetic person, I find that in each situation, I try to find out how to tolerate, accept, embrace and finally love the other by remembering that bad behavior does not a bad person make. I take the time to think about the other person and what the motivation might be (not that I ever know if I’m correct in my assumptions). I take the time to remember that, through all our difficulties and despite all our faults (and we ALL have them!), we are all good people. We are all God’s children. We are all part of the same family – God’s family.
And that is what God wants us to understand, deep down, every day, with each person we meet. We need to see His face in each of our fellow humans so that we remember his Second Great Commandment “Thou shalt love your neighbor as thyself.” It’s not an easy ask by any means, but this is our call, this is our responsibility, this is the only path we can take to begin reconciliation with others and ultimately with God.
Love, serve, feed….that is our mission.
He calls us to love and serve, no matter the circumstance, no matter the person.
Two final thoughts:
I have watching a course on understanding the Old Testament and this piece of information really struck home:
“The word that’s translated as “image” (in Hebrew) is tselem….That word means “idol” …. the locus where a worshiper could encounter and truly worship that god. When Genesis 1 says that humanity is the tselem of God, it’s saying if you want to relate to God, relate to your fellow man.” 1
Understanding the Old Testament, course guidebook, Professor Robert D. Miller II
AND In the face of those who seem nothing shy of purely evil, those who profit by or take pleasure in the exploitation, pain or suffering of others, I have no answers beyond these two: 1) prayer for the souls of those so corrupted and influenced by demons they cause pain and suffering to all they encounter and 2) a life of service and activism, in any way small or large, to combat those forces of evil in this world, in whatever form they take and to support the victims of cruelty, oppression and violence.
sorrowful/empathetic/introvert 