Genesis 1:26-31

26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

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

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Explanation:

This passage is part of the creation narrative, which depicts God speaking the various components of the universe into existence over the course of six days, wherein human beings are the final created entity. The description of the universe and everything therein as intimately fashioned and orchestrated by God, implies that all things, including humanity, exist in relationship to the divine. God as creator means God in relationship to that which God creates; humanity as created by God means humanity in relationship to God. A relationship to the divine is woven into the very fabric of human existence. Furthermore, this inherent relationality could be part of what it means for humanity to be created in God’s image. Traditional Christian language describes God as Trinity—as three distinct persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) sharing a single divine essence. In this way, the very nature of God is relationship. Human relationality, therefore, reflects—or images—God’s own relationality. Ultimately, the creation of humanity is an act of relationship overflowing from a relational God.

 

Connection:

Understanding humanity as fundamentally relational (to God, to others, and to the world) and such relationality as part of being image-bearers has important implications for living. First, it critiques the notion that human beings are mere individuals. Even in isolation from other people, we ultimately exist in relation to God, connected to something outside of ourselves. Second, existing as relational beings comes with a creative purpose. God calls humankind to tend to the rest of the created world. Creation, including humans, overflowed from God and God’s relationality. Thus, in our own creative, life-giving actions and relationships in the world, the image of God flows forth from us. Third, in relating to the world through the act of creating, God sees it all—including humanity—as very good. Such a positive declaration indicates that God readily wishes to relate to us. As a relational being, God does not create and then abandon humanity but rather embraces us as very good.

 

Action:

  • Acknowledging all humans as in relationship to God can cultivate a sense of interconnection:

    • Individually, this means recognizing that we are always connected to something outside ourselves. We are never truly alone, and our actions are never truly isolated events. Practically speaking, pursuing this sense of connection to the divine might mean engaging in spiritual disciplines designed to shape this awareness, such as contemplative prayer, scripture reading, journaling, reflecting on nature or art, or whatever else might bring attention to our sense of relationship to God.

    • Communally, recognizing that everyone else around us is also connected to God should stir a sense of empathy and shared humanity. Acknowledging that we are created in the image of God entails acknowledging that all other people are as well.

  • Recognizing our relationship to God fosters intentional living:

    • Individually, this can mean creating space and time in our lives to reflect on how our actions are imaging God in our various spheres of influence. Do our actions reflect a God who values life-giving relationships?

    • Communally, this can look like assessing the degree to which our values and actions are inviting and promote the flourishing of all people.

  • Remembering that God sees the creation of humankind as good produces gratitude:

    • Individually, gratitude can mean accepting that God desires to be in relationship with us, which can help alleviate feelings of shame. Gratitude for the gift of life from a relational God can cultivate a sense of self-worth and purpose in life.

    • Communally, this means that gratitude extends to the gift of all human life—for the presence of every person in our communities—because they also bear the image of God.