Have you ever heard the joke, “Customer service representatives understand why Noah put only animals on the ark”? If you’ve ever had to deal with the wrath of someone who sent you a pear instead of an apple, or a dark chocolate version instead of the milk chocolate ginger biscuit you ordered, you’d smile knowingly. Sometimes the smallest things can show us how mean, mean and angry we are smoldering beneath the surface. The picture is not pretty.
But it’s not that simple, is it?
Under different circumstances, the same person can be generous, sacrificial, encouraging, and have extraordinary patience. Aren’t you amazed by the range that exists within most people?To be honest, I’m most disappointed in the range that exists within myself. I’m not a screaming, ranting, raging person, but I’m still perplexed by the diversity within me.
How can kind and understanding people coexist with critical people?
In many situations I can be very sympathetic and genuinely understanding. But then I crossed a blurry line, my attitude hardened, my cynicism began to take over, and I began to ignore the complex and difficult struggles that some people were going through. How can kind and understanding people coexist with critical people? I don’t know, but I know it is and it bothers me.
For those steeped in Christian theology, this is nothing new. You are probably familiar with the images of our work. Genesis 2:7 tells us that God takes the dust of the ground and breathes life into it. If you want to know what it means to be human, it’s easy. You and I are dust on the earth, of very low value, of no real value.
If the dust speaks of our vileness, the breath of God speaks of our nobility.
The words “dust to dust, ashes to ashes” will probably be spoken at your funeral. Because from dust we come and to dust we will return. Except that’s not all. We are alive because we were born with the breath of God. If the dust speaks of our vileness, the breath of God speaks of our nobility. Or, as Genesis 1:27 reminds us, we are made in the image of God Himself. Are we special, truly exceptional, in some sense the pinnacle of creation? That’s certainly true.
It is amazing to be human, to be created from the breath of God and in the image of God. This tension is featured throughout the Bible. After the celebration of our creation (Genesis 1-2), we are faced with the depths of depravity.
For the first time in the world, parents raised a murderer.
Genesis 3 teaches us a refusal to follow God’s instructions and a distrust of God’s goodness. It will lead to us being expelled from paradise. In Genesis 4, we are plunged into even deeper despair when we are faced with the world’s first murder: Cain’s murder of Abel. For the first time in the world, parents raised a murderer. The world’s first sibling friendship is shattered when one kills the other. It’s a gloomy portrait.
The history of our world tells of our never-ending wars. The authenticity of this opening portrait is solemn confirmation. The Bible doesn’t leave it that way. It reminds us that there are other realities at play too. Psalm 8:5 teaches that God made humans “a little lower than angels.” This is a truly impressive position. Psalm 139:14 asserts that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Of course! We are created from God’s own breath. It’s the dance between the two that confuses us.
The fingerprints of both God and the devil are found within each human being.
The fingerprints of both God and the devil are found within each human being. We are confusing creatures. Sometimes we try to deny aspects of our being. We turn a blind eye to all that is clearly corrupt and claim that we are incredibly good and good. When that breaks down, we fall into a depressive mode and begin to despise our own worth.
Elephants and rats may sometimes even show greater empathy than humans. These observations are interesting, but what do they tell us? They remind us why the Bible quietly insists that we are sinful and fall short of the purpose for which God created us (Romans 3:23).
Many people react with indignation to accusations of sinfulness, primarily because they assume they are being accused of being the worst possible version of themselves (“As if I were Atilla the Hun!”). However, the word “sin” in the Bible most commonly means falling short of standards. In other words, I’m less than who I really am, and that’s what every self-help course makes us realize.
The chaos and destruction caused by that lack is met at the cross of Jesus.
The chaos and destruction caused by that lack is met at the cross of Jesus. God’s cross is our place of forgiveness. It is our invitation to begin anew and to do so in a relationship with God, in whose image we are made and whom we are meant to represent in this world.
It is always important to remember our origin story. The stories of the Bible show us that the God who made us is terrifyingly and wonderfully made us. When we’re tempted to be lower than we should be, why not explore the possibility of our creations coming to an end? (And no, you weren’t “built” to sulk just because someone wedges you in front of you at the supermarket or steals a parking space you think you’re entitled to!)
If you and I were created to represent God’s love and goodness in this world, what would that look like today? That’s a really good question. If we think more seriously, we might be able to build an ark where even humans are welcome.
Originally published on Brian Harris’ blog. Republished with permission.
Dr. Brian Harris is based in Perth, Australia. After decades of church ministry and 17 years of teaching theological colleges, he now directs the Avenir Leadership Institute, a forward-looking consulting firm that helps develop the kinds of leaders the world needs. Brian is the author of seven books, the most recent of which are Why Christianity is Probably True (Paternoster, 2020) and Stirrers and Saints: Forming Spiritual Leaders of Skill, Depth and Character (Paternoster, 2024).
