Contemplating We are Imago Dei

Dear God of Love and Justice,

Martin Luther once said that a Christian is perfectly free, lord of all, subject to none — and at the same time, a Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all. That paradox sits at the heart of what Jesus told his disciples on the road to Jerusalem: "Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant." Not a suggestion. Not a leadership tip. A complete inversion of the way the world keeps score.

As I reflect on what it means to carry your image — Imago Dei — I confess how easily I forget that the same image lives in the colleague I argue with over email, the stranger holding a cardboard sign at the intersection, the family member whose politics make my jaw tighten. You did not stamp your likeness only on the people I find convenient to love.

Help me see with the eyes of the One who knelt with a basin and towel. Teach me that serving is not weakness but the very grammar of your kingdom — the native language of those who bear your image. When I encounter someone today whom the world has deemed unimportant, let me remember that I am standing on holy ground, because every human face is an icon of the living God.