Big Leaf, Little Leaf...

While out walking today, enjoying the brisk fall air and clearing my head, I came across numerous leaves that had already made their autumn descent to the pavement. One particularly brilliant Japanese maple caused me to stop. It seemed to be more tenacious than the surrounding trees in the neighborhood in holding on to its foliage. While most of the other trees were almost bare, this stubborn and beautiful display of gold and red was only beginning to let go of last season.

As I looked more closely at the ground, I saw that these delicate leaves were exactly the same shape as the enormous leaves of a large maple I had just passed. A tiny, dainty version of the original.

Just like us.

We are made in God's image. He's the original and we were created to be like Him from the beginning of the creation process.

²⁵ God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
²⁶ Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that the

y may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:25-27)

Just like the little maple leaf resembles the big maple leaf, we were knit together in our mother's womb to be a unique and beautiful representation of God's workmanship. (Psalm 139, Ephesians 2:10) We will never be just like God, but there is definitely a family resemblance. As we allow the Holy Spirit to cultivate in us the fruit He wants to grow, people around us will notice the similarities between us and our Father.

We can show love like God. We can be kind. We can sacrifice for others. We can show compassion. So, although, we will never share God's qualities like omniscience or omnipotence, we can look for and emulate those qualities that are within reach and can grow by the power of the Holy Spirit. In so doing, we show the world what God looks like and how He cares for those He created to be in relationship with Him.

Knowing that we are made in God's image also reminds us that when we're unhappy with life's circumstances or relationships in our lives, we are the ones who must adjust to the Maker. God doesn't adjust to us. If He did, He would lose one of His unique characteristics - His immutability - and then He wouldn't be God.

While necessary to the Christian's growth and sanctification process, adjusting to God's perspective isn't easy. But it's crucial to living the abundant life that Jesus promised those who follow Him. When we continually surrender our wills to His and ask Him to examine and transform our hearts, we sense His Presence and we receive strength, wisdom, grace, and mercy to live the life He's called us to live.

He's the big leaf. We're the little leaves.

And when we're connected to our Father, the world will see the resemblance and He can show the world His glory.