Humans Rule…!!!

Then God said, “Let us make humans in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule…” (Gen 1:26)

I was recently asked to facilitate a session with our team on God’s mission and our part in it. Such a great topic, but I had trouble knowing where to start. I eventually found my way to Genesis 1, looking to our beginnings for clues on how best to tackle this topic. 

For me, Genesis 1 is the most amazing piece of writing of all time. God transforms the shapeless and empty chaos into a meaningful and flourishing cosmos. At the climax of the creation process are humans, made in God’s “image and likeness”, “so that they may rule”. 

So, God’s mission: to set up a flourishing cosmos. The human’s part in it: to take this “very good” world (Genesis 1:31) and make it even better. 

It seems to me that God is the ultimate ‘equipper’ and ‘releaser.’ We see this across his creation. He has created plants that reproduce without him controlling them. Animals ‘teem’ all over without his direction, and for humans, we hold the reigns of his ‘flourishing cosmos’ project without him pulling the plug on us (even though he could have many times over). 

We’ve spent a fair bit of time botching up our God-given job. We’ve often grabbed at the “ruling” part but forgotten about doing that out of God’s “image and likeness”. It’s a good thing that God is “merciful, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Exodus 34:6-7). It’s also good that God has a ridiculously high commitment to us and this crazy partnership.

There are lessons for us here… 

Equipping and releasing people for their role in God’s mission is part of ‘Our SU DNA.’ God shows us how to get this done while being true to his “image and likeness”, through the resolute, generous, and gracious way he journeys alongside and guides us to play our part in realising his mission in the world.

Written by Steve Forward, Equip Team Practice Development and Evaluation Specialist.