God in a Dirty place? Yes, a God who is an all possible God chose to make human beings out of the mud- dirt. But though God created them out of dirt, and choose to make them in God’s own likeness “imago Dei” (Genesis 1:26). This means, we bear the image of our creator. This is the reason of all the religions, none insists on the dignity of the human person more than Christianity because everyone is perfectly and uniquely created according to God’s image. However, we fail God by becoming the slaves to sin, by dwelling in one’s own flesh. God in dirty places? Yes, God sent Jesus, the son, to the dirtiest place, to save the dirtiest people who were the slaves to sin. Thus, through the salvific act of Christ we are saved.
These two aspects- imago Dei and the salvific
act of Christ compels us to live a dignified life- a life that has the sense of
self-worth, a sense of pride in oneself. When we have this sense for the self
and for others, we will respect and honor others around. This reminds us with
the second greatest commandment ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Mark 12:
31). Every human being pursues for respect and honor which is supplemented by
acceptance and compliments, love and affection, care and concern etc.
Therefore, “one cannot follow Christ and ignore neighbor’s
crucifixion-sufferings.” Human dignity also promotes a high level of social
interaction which is the fabric for mutual growth, development and change. Thus,
social interaction should not be exclusive but inclusive of all in the
society-the poor, the orphans, the widows, the weak, the differently abled, the
other categories of people, because God has honored humankind with God’s great
love. Hence, human beings should also respond in the same manner and show their
love and respect for their fellow beings.
The
Son of God honors the dignity of all human kind and this is the reason we see
Christ outside the city gate to give dignity to the lepers, the blind, the outcaste
etc. (Hebrews 13:12, Acts 3:1-26; 7:58), who were thrown out of the city gates
by their fellow beings. For Jesus, every human being has the right to dignity,
this is the reason he has shown these examples of restoring their dignity by
breaking the barriers created by humans. In other words, if we understand imago
Dei and the salvific act of Christ, we will understand the right to
dignity of every human being. Owing to the fact that Jesus offered his life as
a ransom for sin and the sinful nature of human beings, human dignity was
lifted at its best, hence it should be respected. The Bible also asserts that
life according to the desires of the flesh do not withstand ‘respect for other
human beings’ which is a loss and abuse of human dignity. Every human being
must understand that dignity is not earned by the meritorious conduct but it is
an absolute expression of the favor and grace of God towards human beings. It
is from this basis we can deduce that the human nature deserves an inherent
dignity.
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Author:
Ms. Moakumla Longkumer
About the Author: Moakumla is a faculty at Allahabad Bible Seminary in the Dept. of Christian Ministry and a Ph. D. candidate in the Dept. of Psychology under the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, SHUATS, Naini, UP.
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