Human Dignity

This week marked the fiftieth year since the Supreme Court's decision Roe v Wade. That decision was overturned by the Supreme Court last year and I am thankful for that. At the core of the abortion v life debate is the issue of human dignity.

A friend was let go from his job this week. I understand and agree that businesses must make decisions that sometimes negatively impact people. I tend to side with Business over Labor. This situation was particularly marked by poor communication. Patrick Lencioni says that firings/layoffs must consider the person's dignity in the way those things happen. Poor communication revealed a lack of respect for human dignity, in this case. At least a lack of consideration of respect for human dignity.

Worshippers in Jerusalem were fired upon last night in a synagogue. Several people are dead. Just a few days ago a shooter opened fire on a celebration in Los Angeles killing several including himself. Google the word "shooting" and see the results. The frequency of such things is incredible. Crime is, at least in part, an issue of human dignity.

Human dignity is important because all humans are made in the image of God. The Christian faith and the Christian Bible are clear on this. The issue is in the first few paragraphs of the Bible. The first mention of humans in the Bible is that we are made in the image of God.

EVERYTHING about people from that point forward must be considered in light of the fact that humans are image-bearers of God.

As image-bearers, the individual has responsibility to follow God.

As image-bearers, each person has the responsibility to treat each other person with dignity.

As image-bearers, each person's sin distorts how God's image within him comes out in his attitudes and actions.

Not long after the Bible mentions the image-bearers it tells us of sin and the destruction sin brings to the relationship between God and man and between man and man. Not long after that, the Bible tells of the hope of restoration and reconciliation that God provides through Jesus Christ.

As I understand what the Bible teaches about eternity, all creation will be redeemed - or brought back to a right standing with God, a standing that was marred by sin. The only exception to that are the image-bearers. Not all image-bearers will be redeemed.

God has made the way of redemption for the image-bearers a little different from the redemption of the rest of creation. The heavens and the earth, the waters and the land, the plants and the animals will all be redeemed. Image-bearers - human beings - will be redeemed if they choose to accept the salvation promised from the very first pages of the Bible.

The entire Christian Bible is the revelation of God creating all things including humans; humans bringing sin into the picture; God purposing to redeem all creation and all humans who will believe; the Incarnation of the Savior - Jesus Christ; his death, burial, and resurrection; the life of believers within the community of the Church and in relationship to the world; and the return of Christ and consummation of the redeemed.

I believe the issue of abortion must be seen in light of the human dignity due all image-bearers.

I believe the issues of Human Resources must be conducted in light of the human dignity due all image-bearers.

I will extend that statement to include marriage and family, crime and punishment, community and government. Really, I can't think of any arena where the dignity of image-bearers is not important. Sometimes I might think that the person who isn't doing a good job of image-bearing doesn't deserve to be shown dignity and respect - but I'd be wrong.

I don't get to place value on life, a life, or a person - God already did.

I want to be

Lots of folks make New Years Resolutions. Do you? What kind of resolutions do you make? Do you want to lose weight, eat healthy, and get in shape? Do you want to be less critical and more understanding? Do you want more followers in your goal to be an influencer?

Since when was "influencer" an occupation? I think that is particularly an Instagram and TikTok thing. I'm sure I left out the newest and most attractive social media app and all of you young enough to be my children sighed heavily, noticeably, demonstrably. If you have no idea what I'm talking about you might as well also admit you color your gray hair.

But I've noticed young men and women on these platforms listing "influencer" in their bio. Where I would list "pastor" or "husband" or "father" or "accountant," they list "influencer."

If someone self-identifies as an influencer - you see, they weren't born that way, they just say they are that way. I doubt anyone came up to them and said, "Wow, you sure have a lot of influence. Are you an influencer or something?" No, they self-identify as an influencer.

If someone self-identifies as an influencer, I'm stubborn enough to refuse to be influenced by them. I don't have enough hair to wear mine like they do anyway. The clothes they wear don't come in my size.

"Creator" is also an occupation. It means you post a lot of videos of yourself.

But the rush of our culture is to be like everybody else. That specifically means to be as different as possible while fitting into the pop culture mold of uniformity. A conundrum, huh!

Influencers have to - at the same time - be unique, just like all the other influencers. The more unique they are, the more they fit into the cookie cutter.

The outside might be as different as day is from night when you put two influencers side by side, but the inside is pretty much the same. "I want to be famous." "I want everybody to know my name."

They should go to Cheers.

Here's a true truth if there ever was one: Jesus knows your name and he wants to be your Savior, Lord, Friend, Brother.

My New Years Resolutions are more about being and becoming. I have always had a list of things I wanted to do. But this year, I have a list of things I aspire to be.

I want to be a friend my friends consider a friend they can count on. I've not been that very often.

I want to be an encourager. Too often I'm just the opposite.

I want to be generous. I tend to be stingy.

I want to be helpful, kind, joyful, patient. I know me better than you do and that doesn't sound much like me.

I want to be more like Jesus. His Spirit works within me to make that a reality, but I get in the way way too much.

If I yield to the Spirit, he will make me more like Jesus. And all those other things will be part of the package.

Then if I am a good influence on others, so be it.

photo cred: forbesindia.com and shutterfly