I've been sitting with an uncomfortable question this week: if I really believe every person carries the image of God, does that change who I'm willing to be patient with? This episode doesn't tie up neatly, and I don't think it's supposed to. **The King's Statue, Reimagined** In the ancient world, a king would set up a statue of himself in places he ruled but couldn't personally live in. That statue wasn't decoration. It stood in for him. Genesis borrows that exact idea to describe what it means for us to be made in God's image, and it changes what "image bearer" actually means. **No One Is Exempt** Genesis doesn't reserve the image of God for kings, scholars, or any special class. It's everyone, which was radical for its time. Every person you interact with today, including the ones who are difficult on purpose, carries that same standing. **You Were Never a Mistake** Even if you grew up hearing you were an accident or a burden, every soul was known before the beginning. That's not just a nice thought about self-worth. It's meant to hold up under the hardest version of that question. **Jesus and the People We'd Rather Skip** Jesus tied this directly to how we treat the people we're most tempted to walk past, the same idea behind the Good Samaritan story. It's not a vague spiritual metaphor. It's aimed at specific people in your specific life. **Mercy That Doesn't Excuse the Wrong** Believing someone carries the image of God doesn't mean their actions get erased or that consequences disappear. I try to untangle that balance carefully here, because it's easy to swing too far in either direction. The takeaway I keep coming back to: the next person you interact with today is carrying something that isn't yours to dismiss, and neither are you. Small steps, but not small stakes. You can find everything I do at jillfromthenorthwoods.com, and you can reach me directly at [email protected].
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