There is a reason I went into teaching high school. Just watching elementary kids wore me out. I wanted—I needed—my students to be a little more sarcastic, apathetic, and lethargic. I could deal with that. We were on a more equal playing field.

However, the older I get, the more I appreciate and value children.

I was reminded of this this past Sunday, as I sat in church behind a young family with a less than one-year-old in front of me—tiny tuft of hair sticking straight up and held in place by a rubber band. Not really a Vogue hairdo, but I guess it could be called cute. Sort of.

But as I looked around, that was the only child I saw. I knew where the others were. In Sunday school or the nursery. And I knew why. They could learn better in a more child-friendly environment and we adults would not be disturbed by crying or chatter or fidgeting during the sermon. All well and good and well intentioned.

But I missed the kids.

When the director of Children’s Ministries called two young girls up to read scripture, I was almost in tears, which is quite something for me. I don’t do tears.

In literature, children represent hope for the future, so you pay attention to what happens to children in a story. Though Macbeth has Banquo murdered in order to assure his claim to the ill-gained throne, Fleance, Banquo’s son, escapes, foreshadowing a not too happy ending for MacBeth.

It is no different in real life, especially the life of the church. We need the children.

We need their energy and innocence. We need their excitement of discovery. We need their tough questions and their simple faith.

The Bible tells us that children are a gift and a blessing, even a reward (Psalm 127:3-5). They are precious. Jesus valued the children, and so should we.

Let us take care of our children in whatever setting we have with them: as parents, aunts and uncles, friends, or church family. Let us teach them, discipline them, direct them, encourage them, listen to them, love them, and raise them in the knowledge and love of God. Our future depends on it.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

As any young, literal child would, I once thought that being made in God’s image meant that we looked like God—physically. After all, in all the pictures we ever saw of Jesus, he looked like us, and Jesus was God.


Of course, now I know that that is not what the verse means. What it means is covered in theological theses and books and is probably more than I will ever understand and way more than a short blog could ever cover. But a weekend away with some friends did enlighten me on a few ways we have been made in God’s image.

First, we were made for relationship. Except for when Jesus went to the cross for our sins, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit had always been in relationship. Therefore, we too are made for relationship—at whatever level, for whatever length of time. Some of us crave many hours of people time; others get by with just a couple, but regardless, we need each other. The mental health issues that have risen in all age groups because of the isolation over the past couple of years has only reinforced this. The time we spend with each other is important.

Second, we were made for quiet. One of the most appealing parts of this getaway was that we were in the mountains and it was quiet. Not completely. The wind rustled through the trees. The birds were singing. But for some of the time it was void of people created noise. In Psalm 23, the “restoring” of the soul, comes after the lying in green pastures and being beside still waters. We need quiet. Only in the quiet can we hear the voice of God. On the seventh day, God rested from His work. He created the sabbath “for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27. He created rest and quiet, and we crave it.

Third, we love nature. Now I know some might say “no way. I don’t do dirt.” But I don’t mean backpacking the Pacific Coast Trail. Before He ever created man, God created the natural world for him: the trees and plants, the oceans, the rivers, the animals. God loves nature. What we see today is only a shadow of the perfect world at Creation. And we, in whatever way we can and wherever we can, have been recreating that natural world: Beautiful parks in large cities. Backyard gardens. Balcony nurseries. We love our pets and protect our wildlife. If we don’t have a green thumb, we have pictures that provide that natural beauty for us.

Fourth, we are creative. From works of art to innovative technology to home decorating to a new putting grip, we love to be unique and solve problems. God is the ultimate Creator, but he made each of us little creators. If we have too much idle time on our hands, we start thinking of projects we can do.

“In His image” is so much more than just these four characteristics. But I think if we realize that we are like God in these four ways, then we will realize that being created in His image is an awesome and awe-inspiring notion, and that once we experience salvation, then we can appreciate the process of sanctification where we reflect more and more of God’s characteristics, and grow closer to being a perfect reflection—a perfect image— of God.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8)

So how many years have I heard this verse and thought I knew what it was talking about? Many. But I guess I didn’t. Not really, and not until this week when I was reading my chapter a day (this time obviously in Isaiah) and read the verse in its context.

Context. That’s pretty important.


So I have always thought that the verse was talking about how God’s thoughts and ways are way beyond ours, so much so that we cannot comprehend them.

And it is.

But for some reason I thought it was in reference to the way He works things out differently than we would ever imagine.

Which He often does.

But in these verses, it is very specific.

The verse just prior to verse 8 (so 7) reads . . . Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

And there you have it.

God will have mercy. He will pardon freely.

And that is how God’s thoughts and ways are not ours—at least not mine. Because having mercy and pardoning freely are not in my DNA. I want to hold grudges. I like to keep score. I want to withhold forgiveness until I feel it is earned. I, unfortunately, am a Jonah. I want my personal Ninevites to experience God’s judgement not His mercy. I want them to pay.

So it looks like I need to take a lesson from Isaiah 55:7 and “forsake [my] way and unrighteous . . . thought” and turn to the LORD.

And now I am grateful—extremely grateful—that God has mercy and pardons freely.

“You’re not that good to get that mad.”

Yes, I have heard that comment before, and I know it to be true. BUT I am good enough to know that I should be performing better than I am, and that’s when I get frustrated.

We have all experienced frustration. It is that dissonance that occurs when the results don’t match the desire. And it is only made worse when we have invested time, energy, money, and hope into the bargain. And in our expert opinion, we have invested enough of each of these to deserve the desired results.

This happens in all areas of life: hobbies, work, health, relationships.

By definition, frustration, at its core, means to be disappointed, dissatisfied, or thwarted. And at the core of that problem is the belief that all these results should be happening on our timetable and in our way.

I can remember being frustrated after a difficult loss during a college tennis match, and asking my coach when it would all finally come together. Her reply: “It just takes more experience.”

How much more! I wanted to scream, but the answer was kind of obvious — more than I already had. But I didn’t want to hear that answer. I didn’t want to have to go through more experience. I wanted the results and the wins now.

But to want results after we have put in what we believe is the requisite amount of time, money, practice, and work takes God completely out of the equation in two ways. First, if results are dependent only on what we do, then how does that glorify God. Gideon’s army who was to face over 135,000 Midianites was whittled down from 32,000 to 300 for just that reason (even though they were already sorely outnumbered)--to make sure God got the glory, not Gideon or the Israelites. Do we want the desired results for God’s glory or for ours?

Second, how are we to know that there’s not more to learn in the interim? Not only in the arena under question but also in life and spiritual growth. To believe ourselves all-knowing is to put ourselves on par with God. Hmmmm. That has never worked out well.

Frustration is another one of those symptoms that manifests a deeper problem—a heart problem. And if our heart is set on the things of this world, then we are guaranteed to experience frustration.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth . . . But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven . . . . For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6: 19-21