Time for us to Grow Up

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When you have your newborn baby in your arms, you have a very real sense of your responsibility in taking care of this little person.  It is easy to assume when they are very young, that you are in control.  It only takes a few quick years to realize that this little person will become responsible for their own actions and that you actually have no control over what they do!

I was reading Psalm 8 and verses 5-8 struck me:

"What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor.

You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet."

Step back and read that again.  What struck me was the reality that God made all of creation and he put us over it!  What was he thinking?  Indeed, he crowned us with glory and honor, which tells you something about how highly he thinks of us mere humans, but then, to put us in charge?

Imagine a painter creating a beautiful piece of artwork.  He's going to display it carefully and watch over it so nobody comes along and ruins it.  It's personal.  He cares for it.  He protects it.

Now imagine God and how personal his creation is to him.  He loves it.  He wants it cared for and protected.  And he makes us guardians over it.

This is not a responsibility we should take lightly, and hopefully we realize that we, his creatures, are an important part of his creation.  We should carefully watch over each other as well.  Like that newborn baby, we eventually must grow up and accept responsibility for our own actions.

When Jesus came and took on our humanity as his own, we received that crown of glory and honor.  The dignity he imparted on us is tremendous and it is time for us to take seriously our responsibility in caring for God's creation and each other.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.com
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