July 29th, 2023: Images

It can be disheartening to purchase visually appealing fruits only to discover that they taste terrible. This is a common issue where we live because most of our fruits are imported. Sometimes, even beautiful strawberries can disappoint with their flat taste, which can be quite frustrating. Recently, finding a mango that actually tastes like a mango has become quite a challenge.

Appearance seems to take precedence in many aspects of our lives. We often find ourselves influenced by the images we see. Businesses and individuals hire professionals to shape their brand images. Advertising bombards us with flashy images of products we are encouraged to buy. Social media platforms are flooded with attractive images of seemingly perfect people.

However, amidst all this focus on external images, we seem to neglect an essential image that we should protect and cherish—the image of God within our moral conviction. As beings created in God's image, our conscience reflects His moral nature within us. Recognizing this truth can dispel our fears because we realize that God has been with us all along. By safeguarding and nurturing what God has entrusted within us, we can develop a deeper appreciation for one another and live more harmoniously.

"What is man that you are mindful of him,

    and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings[a]

    and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

    you have put all things under his feet."

Psalm 8:4-6