One of the chalenges Richard Stearns makes in The Hole In Our Gospel is to realize (fairly easy, but takes conscious thought), to believe (a little more challenging, but still basic), and to accept that every single person on this planet was created in and still bears the Image of God.

My parentheticals above point out some of the basic challenges to practicing this most basic part of the Gospel. The lack of any parenthetical beside the third piece of this puzzle is intentional.

To accept that every single person on this planet was created in and still bears the Image of God is incredibly challenging. Let me illustrate with a few reflections from encounters I had just today in our travels--

• When I encountered a beggar lady with one tooth sticking out and thought--"Why doesn't she just get rid of that one also?"--what part of God's Image did I think she bore?
• When a wandering shirt salesman wouldn't leave me alone on the beach (even though I engaged him by looking at his shirts) and I muttered something about his bare fet and a beached jellyfish--what part of God's Image did I think he bore?
• When I saw a lady walk past a painted picture of a Hindu goddess... touch the painting... kis the fingers that had touched the painting... make a sort of genuflection over herself--and I thought--"How can anyone believe in something so silly as a blue god with a severed head in its hand?"--what part of God's Image did I think she bore?

These are just thre examples from a short couple hours. There are more: all the school children waiting for busses... the women washing clothes in rivers and creeks... too many too recall...

Do I really accept that every single one of them is created in and stills bear the EXACT SAME Image of God that I DO?

Bob Pierce, the founder of World Vision U.S., made his life prayer be this: "Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God."

I don't know which comes first--accepting the Image of God in everyone... or a heart broken by seeing with God's eyes...

I do know the two things are a challenge... and they go together hand-in-hand...

I also know by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, I wil view everyone I se tomorrow in a more Christ-like way...

"Open the eys of my heart, Lord! Open the eyes of my heart! I want to se You! I want to see You! To see You high and lifted up! Shining in the light of Your glory! Pour out Your power and love! As we sing holy, holy, holy!"

Break my heart... and open my eyes, O Lord...