Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

There is a story about a young girl who was sitting on her grandfather’s lap as he read her a bedtime story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek and then his again. 

Finally, she spoke up, “Grandpa, did God make you?” “Yes, sweetheart,” he answered, “God made me a long time ago.” “Oh,” she paused. “Grandpa, did God make me too?” “Yes, indeed, honey,” he said, “God made you just a little while ago.” Feeling their respective faces again, she said, God’s getting better at this, isn’t he?

The story is funny. But it’s not true. It is not true because younger is not better. God created us. God created us to look one way as a little girl or boy, but we were not created to look that way forever. 

I think about the message that we get from our culture, television, the internet, magazines, billboards, and radio. Every day we are bombarded with the notion that we must look a certain way in order to be happy, to be accepted, to be loved. The advertisements declare that we must have bright white teeth, a full head of hair (no grey), a slim waist, perfect legs and feet that don’t stink… if we are to be loved.

But it is just not true. The Bible tells us that we are made in God’s own image. God’s love is unconditional – not based on merit, age, weight, skin color, or looks. 

Today, let us reclaim the Psalmist prayer from Psalm 139, “It was you who formed me, Lord… I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  

Let us pray: Loving God, we pray today, especially for those who are struggling with self-image. We recognize that it is hard to love our neighbors when we can scarcely love ourselves. Wash over each of us with your grace. Remind us that it was you who formed us, and that we are fearfully and wonderfully made – in your own image. Amen.