Life + Faith

ON DIGNITY

Every person reflects the Imago Dei, the very image of God. Which is amazing considering all the beautiful variations from one person to the next. We are colorful, creative, culturally diverse. We have different skills and talents, passions and dreams, longings and desires. And yet, we are all the Imago Dei.

For centuries, people have struggled to recognize that everyone is an image bearer of God. Somewhere along the way certain traits and characteristics, even skin tones, have been classified as not only more desirable, but as more valuable. Sadly, even today, we often struggle to dignify people who are different from ourselves.

dignity :: n. the state or quality of being worthy of honor and respect

But before we consider dignity, perhaps it the word worthy that begs some scrutiny. How do we decide when someone is worthy, and worthy of our honor and respect at that? Have we condensed our thinking of worthy to such a small pool that there is room enough only for those who look or think or act like us? Is it more comfortable to keep some people at arm’s length, withholding worth as if it is something precious and off limits to some, perhaps most?

My fear is that we have come to an errant place of comfort where we too easily set others aside. We have let politics and beliefs and sameness become devisive and harmful tools; tools which have enlarged the void that separates us from each other. When we discount people or deem them unworthy we take away the need to dignify their views and ideas, making it difficult to resolve conflict and find solutions to our problems.

It’s time for us to reshape our thinking on who is worthy of dignity and respect. Rather than thinking of dignity as something that others must earn, (because who are we to decide such a thing, anyway?), what if we started viewing people as fellow image bearers who are innately worthy of dignity? What if we decided dignity is something which can neither be elevated nor eliminated? Changing our thinking in such a way will require us to lay aside our pride, letting go of our beliefs that our ways are without error and absolute.

After all, the dignity of people does not depend on the approval of others.

If we’re being completely honest, we all want, and most of us expect, the common courtesy of being treated with basic dignity and respect as a human being.

Offering dignity to others does not require all that much. It starts with a willingness to listen more and talk less. We do not have to add our voice, opinions and views to ever situation and circumstance; in fact, great wisdom is often found in the moments where one is willing to keep quiet.

We will learn more from others when we are willing to dignify them with our time and attention, our willingness to look them in the eyes and enter into hard and perhaps even uncomfortable moments. We will have to take a critical look at our own actions and attitudes, and make appropriate changes in order to make room and welcome differences. The goal is not for everyone to fully agree on everything, but for us to acknowledge that others have the right to their thoughts, beliefs and opinions.

After all, we are told to love God and love others, who all just so happen to be God’s image bearers. The very Imago Dei that we too reflect.

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