C3/CCC Sermon Transcript for September 14, 2008 Namaste. The image of God in greets the image of God in you. When we see each other in this way, we see a beauty that is beyond physical looks and transcends social standing. We see the true self that is beyond definition and has nothing to conform to. Age cannot fade it, and bucket loads of Botox cannot improve on it. When your vision becomes filled with the image of God, and you see pieces of God everywhere; in the street, in your neighbor and family members, in nature and even in the one you thought was your enemy, you have been liberated from worldly conformity. When each of us finds this liberation, wars will cease, conflict will end, suffering will disappear. What does the image of God look like? It is recorded in Genesis 15 that Abraham had severe doubts. He looked at his life for signs of God’s presence, and wondered about his covenant with God in an ever changing world. God said to him, "Habet hashamayim," “Go out, and look towards the heavens. Look upwards; turn your eyes to the stars." [Gen.15:5] The Image of God in the Cracks That’s one place you see images of God; in the stars and in the beauty and enormity of the natural world. There are others. God’s image is not always seen in purity and perfection. Retraining yourself to see the perfection of imperfection, the image of God in the cracks of life, is part of the path to human liberation. Jack Kornfield tells the story of a Buddhist statue in his book, The Wise Heart- Retrain yourself to see beyond the cracks to the beauty that lies beneath. It is unbreakable, has no concept of age and doesn’t conform to other people’s standards of perfection. Paul describes this experience in 2 Corinthians 4 as “treasures in clay jars”. He says the treasures are in clay jars so that you won’t get attached to pride. You will retain a sober view of yourself, by which I understand that you won’t treasure, you won’t over attach to a particular version of yourself; for example the self who stops traffic with youthful good looks, or the self who beguiles the world with middle aged charm, or the self who dazzles the world with senior wisdom. These versions of the self change constantly and are not a reliable measure of self worth. The real measure of worth is what Paul describes as “the all surpassing power of God”. This is what I am describing as the image of God within that transcends circumstance and conformity to other people’s expectations. To See the Image of God in Others, Look Within First You won’t ever see the beauty beneath the cracks in others or in the world, until you accept the cracks in yourself. You won’t learn to see the image of God in others until you learn to see it in yourself. Think of yourself in a new way. Do not be conformed any longer to what the media or other people tell you about yourself. Think of your body in a new way. Look at the wrinkles on your face, and see only character lines. Look at your spare tires, and see bay windows, with a panoramic view of life. Look at the stretch marks and see a road map that tells the story of your journey. Look at your love handles, and see only lurve!!!!!!!!! Have you heard the euphemism for the extra flab on aging arms? Bingo wings! Look at your arms and see wings that can soar like eagles. My favorite one is for the men, and this may be more of an Aussie euphemism, think of your beer gut as an awning above the toy shop. Learn to recognize the image of God in yourself, then you will be ready to see it in others. The various “selves” we masquerade aren’t so unique. We are all just slight variations on a theme. There is a neat story that makes the point well. It’s about a young kid named Jake who always wanted to be just like Billy Widdledon. He walked like Billy walked, talked like Billy talked, even signed up for the same high school. But then Billy Widdledon began to hang out around Herby Vandeman. He walked like Herb, and talked like Herb. It messed with Jake’s head. He was walking and talking like Bill Widdledon, who was walking and talking like Herby Vandeman. Then it dawned on Jake that Herb Vandeman walked and talked just like Joey Haverlin, and Joey Haverlin walked and talked just like Corky Sabinson. Jake thought to himself- here I am walking and talking like Billy Widdledon's imitation of Herby Vandeman's version of Joey Haverlin, trying to walk and talk like Corky Sabinson. And who do you think Corky Sabinson is always walking and talking like? Of all people, Dopey Wellington - that little runt who walks and talks just like me! (Author Unknown, A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul ) Seek First the Image of God, then the Cracks Can be Attended To A lot of us, myself included, fall for the trap of seeking change at the surface and then feeling surprised that we don’t feel any better at a deeper level. If you want to lose weight, but start from the assumption that your extra weight is an imperfection, then you are bound for disappointment. If you use Botox, but start from the assumption that your blemished skin is ugly, then you are bound for disappointment. If you begin a workout regime but start from the assumption that you are not good enough without it, then you are bound for disappointment. If you die your hair, but start from the assumption that your natural color is not adequate, then you are bound for disappointment. Now, here is a wonderfully liberating truth. If you have come to see the unflinching image of God within, the perfection that is you, warts and all, then you can work at changing the surface effects with freedom. You can celebrate the lost weight, the toned arms, the smooth skin, the died hair, with a great sense of achievement, but all the time knowing that this too will pass and when it does you are no less of a person. Seek the image of God first. Then worry about smoothing out the wrinkles, that is if it even matters to you anymore. Maybe once you see the image of God, you will spend your time and money elsewhere. National Self Image The same point applies to national image. Many, many Americans have expressed frustration and embarrassment about the way America is perceived around the world. For the most part, people around the world understand that the character of this country is strong, even if the recent reputation of the US is marred How will we mend this broken reputation? Will it be through a changed foreign policy? Eventually. But first of all, the change has to be internal. America has to change its internal psyche. Then the foreign policy will follow suit. If we change the foreign policy without changing the self image, we are bound for disappointment. Since 9/11 the predominant political and media message has been one of fear. The fear tactics around the notion of homeland security has engendered latent homeland insecurity. As long as the national image is built on the failures of 9/11 security and blaming others for our fear, we will not have a reliable measure of self image. As soon as America as a nation learns to see the image of God in enemies and perceived enemies, foreign policy will follow suit. America will only be able to see the image of God in enemies when Americans see the image of God in the cracks within. Why is it so Hard to See the Image of God? Maybe you have a head full of impossible targets. Maybe they have been in your head since you were a child. Alanis Morisette wrote a song called Perfect.. Here are some of the lyrics- Sometimes is never quite enough Be a good girl I'll live through you I'll make you what I never was Be a good boy Enough said. You know the thoughts. You know the crushing feeling! Unveil these self limiting thoughts and begin to change them into conscious and life affirming thoughts. The media creates an image of what beauty looks like, and it is an impossible image, reflected by none other than those touched up and photo shopped into perfection. The media’s beauty myth is particularly devastating for women. It is said that only 2% of women in the world believe that they are beautiful. Image if beauty was measured according to the image of God. What percentage of people in the world recognize the image of God within, no matter how they define or experience the image of God?
recent research seems to suggest that some people who have a warped view of their own physical looks, a distorted self and body image, may have a brain dysfunction. There is a glitch in the brain’s hardware that prevents some people from seeing themselves the way others see them. These people tend to lock into a left brain processing of images, studying details intently rather than seeing things in their entirety, part of what the right brain offers. They obsess about blemishes that others might not even notice. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071203103409.htm This is an important clue. Just maybe, the image of God may be more recognizable to the right brain with its loose attachment to detail and its panoramic view of life. Think about it. The ability to see your life in its entirety is part of the liberation. You see your life and your physical looks in the flow of time. You see other people in their entirety rather than focusing so intently on their flaws and blemishes. How do you learn to see people more from your right brain? Train yourself by practicing being in your right brain through meditation, creativity and stillness. The Evidence from Blindness I came across a beautiful article on the beauty myth, written by a blind man. What better way to dwell in the right brain than to be blinded to the physical details of life. “Occasionally, I allow myself to imagine that I see the inestimable and charged faces that we all suspect lie just below the surface. But in any event, I know you differently than do your hand mirrors or photographs. One thing I won't know is whether you are, in the ocular sense of the word, beautiful. He sees “mystical emanations of divine radiance. How marvelous! He sees the image of God, and it’s easier for him because he’s blind. Practice Seeing the Image of God I end with a practice that I learnt from Rabbi Rami Shapiro. You might try this yourself. Try it first on yourself, then try it on someone you care deeply about, then when you are ready, try it on someone you find very difficult. Rami says that when the Hebrew designation for God, the letters Y-H-V-H are written vertically and in Hebrew it looks like a stick-figure drawing of a human being. Rami suggests that you “visualize the Name of God as the physical body of yourself or any person you meet: the Yod is the head, the Hey is the shoulders and arms, the Vav is the torso, and the final Hey is the pelvis and legs.” You are nothing less than the image of God, cracks and all. Will you allow yourself to experience what you truly deserve? Live into that reality and you will be surrounded by beauty.
close window | ^ top | home |