Image Bearers of God

BY PR EVANGELINE CHEONG

 “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” GENESIS 1:27

COVIDiots is what people call them. Each new day sees a new article about someone who has abused a healthcare worker, hoarding toilet paper or refused to obey social distancing regulations or SHN (Stay Home Notices). These few months, we have been given an inside look on the effects of the Fall in the selfishness of man, the broken relationships in families and society. We read about poverty and the inequality of society and the suffering of many due to a tiny virus. There’s much to be frustrated and discouraged about with the human race this season. Yet we also see the redemptive work of our God!

Circuit breaker has awoken the secret bakers, cooks and seamstresses. The closing of the cake and bubble tea shops has “forced” many to go back to making their own cakes, bread, bubble tea pearls, noodles, meals, clothes and more!

As image bearers of the Almighty God, we as humans were made to be reflections of the creative God. Making things and invention was always to be our specialities. CB has made many go back to our ‘roots’ in the everyday, instead of merely sitting at computers and churning out reports, numbers or words and earning money to provide for our family. By preparing meals for our families, instead of handing over slips of paper while someone labours to put it in a plastic container. By actually mending our clothes instead of buying new ones at the store. By teaching our children math, by fixing the broken bulb. We return from being consumers of such products and services to being loving, creative providers for those around us, just like God has always been for us.

Though our lives have not been the same, each day has brought with it a new awareness for the things we never thought twice about, appreciation for the people who knead our bread, cook our meals, make our bubble tea when we realise how hard it is to do, and hopefully a greater gratitude to our God who not only saved our souls in Christ, but is also working to renew and redeem us humans back into our image bearer status.