Gretchen Stehr

James 3:9-12

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

In the last couple of years especially, it seems like everything is about taking sides – from politics to social justice to vaccinate or not to vaccinate. These issues have become very divisive, even in Christian circles.

Back in April, my husband, Vaughn, was preparing a sermon on worship. He chose these verses in James which at first I thought didn’t quite fit with what my idea of worship was. However, as I learned, worship means “to glorify God.” All people are made in the image of God. We are His creation and yet, if we are cursing God’s creation, our worship is hollow.

As I pondered this for quite a while, I thought what if each time I am tempted to roll my eyes at someone’s political comment or judge somebody who walks and talks differently than me, what if I said to myself, “This person is made in the image of God.” How would my interaction with that person or my prayer for that person change?

My prayer for all of us near or far is that we will see those we don’t agree with as God’s creation – made in His image. May our conversations be grace-filled — glorifying God in the process.

TIME FOR REFLECTION:

• What does it mean to you to be made in God’s image? How does it change your view of yourself and/or others, if at all?
• Re-read James 3:9-12. How do these actions trash our witness for the Lord?
• Who can you have a grace-filled conversation with today?