Last week I found myself talking with some clergy colleagues about our images of God and what they mean. It was a thoughtful conversation, but about an hour later I realized we hadn’t really talked about our images of God at all. We hadn’t spent any time talking about whether I see God as generous, short-tempered, or having a sense of humor. No one had described God as loving, or beautiful, or scary.
We all have an image of God. But we may not spend much time talking about those images, or even thinking about them.
So think about your image of God for a minute:
What is God like?
If you had to describe God to someone new, how would you do it?
There is a blank sheet of paper in your bulletin. It’s waiting for your image of God. There are little pencils in the pew holders, and extra pens right here.
You can draw what God is like. You can write adjectives, or lists, or poetry. But spend a few minutes thinking about what God is like, and get that down on paper.
* * *
My image of God is about things like
light, laughter, and joy
concern for doing the right thing, and a readiness to break rules
a sense of immensity, and a sense of intimacy
and a face that absolutely refuses to have features in my mind, but leaves a vivid sense of presence.
Your list is probably different. Maybe your picture has a face, or maybe your image of God looks more like lightning or Jesus or a dove. But whatever’s on that page, and in your mind and heart, is important.
Very important.
I asked you to do this exercise this morning, because our image of God is exactly what our gospel story is about.
Many of you know this one:
Three servants are asked to take care of some money for their master. Two go out and double their money in the market; they are congratulated and rewarded with more authority and responsibility. One buries the money to keep it safe, and is scolded and punished. So far, this story would work on Wall Street.
But Jesus’ parables are never really about life as we know it. And the clue to this one is in the dialogue. That man with the buried talent says: “I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid….”
He’s so afraid of doing wrong he decides to do nothing at all. He acts on his image of the master as a dangerous, greedy man. And that image shapes the master’s response, too.
We don’t much about the image of the master from other two servants, but they must have had a different image – an image about generosity, or the master’s trust in them, perhaps (since 5 talents is somewhere between $500,000 and $1.2 million in today’s dollars), or about very high expectations –
some image that encouraged them to take risks and expect rewards.
Deliberately or unconsciously, you and I also respond to our image of God in our everyday actions – at work, at home, at church and in the quiet of our hearts. Our decisions about time, and money – and talents! – reflect our images of God.
Think about that for a minute. Think about your image of God, and about the decisions you make, the way you act in the world.
What does your image of God inspire you to do?
Does the way you see God inspire you to take care or to take risks? To build a team? To take a stand?
Does your image of God inspire you to call your mother, or to start a business? To love, to grow, to laugh, to forgive?
Find someone in a pew near you, now, and tell them one thing your image of God inspires you to do. Then listen to their inspiration.
* * *
Your conversations just now are exactly what the gospel is about today – in fact, they’re what the gospel is about every day:
Our lives reflect our image of God.
Paul tells us that when our image of God is about salvation, we live clothed in faith, hope and love.
That’s a promise, and it’s a challenge, because the way we live shapes other people’s image of God.
When we respond to an image of love and generosity, other people learn that gospel from us, and that image of God is reflected in their lives, and then in the lives of others,
who teach others,
until the reflection of light or love or grace shapes the whole human race.
Because, after all, we were made in God’s image.
And that image has power.
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