Tuesday 22 May 2007

In His Image

One of my art projects, done in Calligraphy. If you look carefully you will see that this is done by just writing the word peace continually for 5 lines so that it ends up with peace on all 4 sides.


IN HIS IMAGE
By Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Each individual will make a matchless discovery: he will be able to cease from constantly scrutinising the other person, judging him, condemning him, putting him in his particular place where he can gain ascendancy over his brother and thus doing violence to him as a person. Now he can allow the brother to exist as a completely free person, as God made him to be. His view expands and, to his amazement, for the first time he sees, shining within his brother, the richness of God's created glory.

God did not make this person as I would have made him. He did not give him to me as a brother for me to dominate and control, but in order that I might find within him the creator. Now the other person, in the freedom in which he was created, becomes the occasion of joy, whereas before he was only a nuisance and an affliction.

God does not will that I should fashion the other person according to the image that seems good to me, that is, in my own image; rather than in his very freedom from me God made this person in His image. I can never know beforehand how God's image should appear in others. That image always manifests a new and unique form that comes solely from God's free and sovereign creation. To me the sight may seem strange, even ungodly. But God creates every man in the likeness of His Son, the Crucified. After all, even that image certainly looked strange and ungodly to me before I grasped it.

Strong and weak, wise and foolish, gifted and ungifted, pious or unpious, the diverse individuals in the community are no longer incentives for talking and judging or condemning, and thus excuses for self-justification. They are rather cause for rejoicing in one another and serving one another.

5 comments:

Moobear said...

Hi Barbara,
I am so glad that you stopped by my place today. But best of all I have found your blog. I love it! It is so organized and neat! You are doing great! Also, I am wanting to try your Tuna, broccoli Pasta Bake. It looks and sounds delicious. Also I am going to look around the Blogging book that you found. I love to read Christian blogs. God has been so good to me. I truly lean on Him.
Again, thanks for the visit and the comment.Have a great evening!

Cape Cod Washashore said...

Hello Barbara! What a delightful blog! I am so glad you visited me today! Your calligraphy is beautiful - my mother used to do calligraphy when my brother and I were young. I wish she still did it! I will be back again to enjoy your blog! =)

la bellina mammina said...

Interesting Barbara - and thanks again for doing the metric conversion for me.:-)

Jeanne said...

I love this......
Blessings my friend!

Bendtherulz said...

Its so amazing - I also do calligraphy and recently took a class on chinese calligraphy.I loved the way you have written and framed the pc.

I really liked the first para - if only we will cease in trying to figure out others ( and try to find inside soul) world will be so much calm.
Tk Cr~