Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Genesis 1:27 (NIV)

27 So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

Last week, we practiced the discipline of refusing to assume the worst in another. This week, we will practice the next step in learning to love our neighbor: Believe the Best.

If someone asked you, “What stands out to you most when you think of Adolf Hitler, or Mother Theresa, or Donald Trump, or Dolly Parton?” Given that list of people, I am sure there would be a multitude of different responses. The sad part is that the one thing that should stand out more than anything else is rarely the one that gets noticed; every single one of those people were created in the image and likeness of God. They all carry or carried the Imago Dei, and that is the most striking thing about every single person you will ever meet. No other characteristic comes close.

In Scripture, it says that we are “God’s handiwork.” The word used for handiwork in the Greek is “poíēma”. You and I, and every other person you have ever or will ever meet, are God’s poem; His masterpiece. So much has been said about original sin but not nearly enough about original glory. That glory still remains, that poem still resounds, but it is like gold buried in a mine. It is so easy to see the dirt and the rocks, but oh, the riches if you can see past all of that, learn to see the gold, and mine it out.

Your Turn:

This week, we will become gold diggers for the Kingdom of God.

Step 1: See it

• Ask Holy Spirit to help you see the gold in other people this week. It is impossible to mine the gold if you don’t know where it is.

• Once you see some of the gold in someone, the way to mine it is through encouraging words. That is how to call out the gold.

Step 2: Say it

• Words have incredible power. You have to call it out for it to come out.

• Tell them what you see. Describe the gold to them, and encourage them to use that gift.

Challenge: Tell at least one person the gold you see in them each day this week. Don’t use flattery, that’s cheap fool’s gold. Really dig deep to find something of value to share.