Image Is Everything

Kristine Cucinotta Murphy

Genesis repeatedly states that we are created in God’s own image [Genesis 1:27]. The Hebrew word for “image” [tselem] translates as “an outline or representation of an original as a shadow is the outline of the original.”

We went to just look at all the dogs in a shelter, November 2, 2018 and a dog adopted us. His image caught mine husband’s eye, telling me if we take home a dog from here today it will be that one.

We walked through the entire rows of kennels looking at and talking to every dog in there.

We returned to the dog mine husband spoke of. We wanted to spend a little closer time with him so mine husband went to get a worker.

While mine husband was out of our presence, the dog started talking to me, like they do saying “I want it”. Mine husband came back with a worker and I told him, “Yes! He is the dog we are taking home today.”

His paperwork says Shepherd mix. So, we always wondered what the mix part was. People would ask what kind he was being a uniquely striped dog with a Shepherd head. We would tell them what we thought about the mix and some would tell us what they thought he looked like.

We judge by images all of the time. We are even given instructions and directions by images. Images are huge! They can show us exactly what something is but, they also can “look like” and never fully have a sense of knowing truth, just being led along by something we are unsure of without certainty.

We took Raz to the dog park yesterday to play with the other dogs. His favorite day of each week, to gather, play and just be a dog without his leash on. One lady had a dog that had the same exact coat as Raz. I asked her what kind her dog was. She said ‘Plott Hound” and shared with me some history on the breed.

I told mine husband that’s got to be the mix part, their coats are exactly the same. But, her Plott Hound was huge, a much bigger dog. So, I still was unsure and later looked it up.

In my search, I came across a Dutch Shepherd. I was amazed! One, I never heard of a Dutch Shepherd and two, that image and all of the attributes, traits and characteristics match exactly to the “T” in everything our dog is, we saw no more mix. There were no more questions left to be answered, nor any part that didn’t match as the same.

Though he is a dog that had a previous owner, we are his new handlers. He must be taught and trained new ways, living with a new lifestyle and new rules. He makes mistakes being use to what he has already learned, but he is growing and learning our ways. We have to be patient with him to continue to let him know he is loved. Yet, stern at times when there are things we refuse to allow him to do. It’s a balance of discipline and compassion. But, it’s an enjoyable journey seeing him do the things we desire him to do. A reflection of us, our ways, an image of God.

I am thrilled I found out what kind of dog we have. And to boot, he is a very rare dog. Puppies sell from $1000-$1200. Both mine husband and my jaw dropped! His value and worth is high up there. He is truly unique, a rare find and was hidden just for us.

Let me encourage this day, we righteously judge people everyday, there’s no way around it. That is truth. But, we must be self controlled in how and when we react to what we have made judgement in.

Making guesses about what “mix” is in someone can be a character defining moment of our own self and image. But, let us be very patient and careful when we are trying to discern the exact image of someone.

There are many similarities of many things. One says this is evil another says it is good. But, what does God’s Word really say about a matter? There is always more than one verse to get a clear indepth understanding of something. So, let us not cherry pick and run with it to use it as our proof.

We could have just believed what we were told by someone else who did not truly have the knowledge of our dog. But, we desired to know what he truly is and we didn’t stop searching until we found out.

Search out the matter with more than one verse, which usually leads to side by side chapters of two different books in the Bible. Keep searching until you are led to the exact match of God’s image someone is a shadow of if you must know.

Yet, we should be even greater concerned what our own image is. God made us in his own image and even though we may come across to someone else as another image, we are a rare find, a price far above rubies.

Don’t let others knock you down because they have yet fully searched you and God out. We are hidden by the blood of Jesus! With that priceless blood covering, we are to allow God to increase and we decrease for His Image to be made known. Let us search and be searched out by God’s Word and Holy Spirit.