God's Broken Mirror

We're continuing this topic of the Foundation of the Imago Dei.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 

~ Genesis 1:26-27

When God’s full heart is reflected in a two-parent home, it reveals something good and whole. But when that balance breaks—when a child grows up with only one parent—God’s heart breaks too. A child cannot fully understand what God is like by seeing only a father or only a mother.

And when parents don't love correctly, this affects the children. How many people say they have a hard time understanding and believing that God the Father loves them unconditionally when their own earthly father did not? There's a lot. 

This imbalance has become common in our world, and it shows. Many children grow up confused and wounded because one parent tries to fill both roles. A mother may try to be both strong and tender, both leader and nurturer, both provider of justice and mercy. But that’s not how God designed it. One person cannot embody both halves of His image in the same way a mother and father together can.
As a result, many children grow up missing a part of the picture of who God is. If they never heal or relearn what’s true, they carry those misunderstandings into adulthood—and into their own families. The cycle repeats again and again.
When people reject God’s design, confusion and brokenness follow. Some fathers now encourage their girls to become boys, saying no one will love or marry them since they're ugly or otherwise.

 (This is another topic for another time but why is marriage brought up most frequently? They don't say, "you're so ugly you won't be able to find a job." No, it's, "you're so ugly no one will want to marry you." As if marriage is some sort of goal they need to strive towards.) 

Some parents constantly speak lies and negativity into their children’s hearts. Other children hear it and repeat the same to their siblings. These wounds grow into insecurity and dysfunction that pass from one generation to the next.

But when a girl grows up with a father and mother who understand God’s image and teach her his truth, she learns to be secure in who she is—as a woman created in God’s image. She doesn't long to become a man because she knows her identity reflects a beautiful and essential part of God’s heart.
Likewise, when a boy grows up with parents who model God’s design, he learns to be secure in who he is—as a man made in God’s image. He doesn’t feel the need to act like a woman or take on traits that belong to her side of God’s heart.

Even non-believers who raise their children to embrace their natural gender can help them grow up confident and whole. When children learn to value who they were made to be—male or female—they can walk securely in their identity, reflecting God’s image more clearly to the world.

I've worked a lot in broken families, and it absolutely breaks my heart. I can't imagine God's heart. 

This is another rabbit trail, but something I noticed is that the kids spend most of the time with the mom, even though she has to work. This just shows me the amazingness of women. They’re often the ones who show up for their kids’ performances, take them to sports practice, plan activities, schedule babysitters, make holidays special, manage appointments and housework, and still do their best to be present—all while working another job.Meanwhile, some dads complain about paying child support while the mom carries the greater weight.

Not all women are daughters of God, but I believe every woman holds a special place in his heart. And he takes notice of those who hurt them instead of protecting and cherishing them.

God’s broken mirror—his image reflected in people—can be restored when we return to his original design. It starts with one person. One man can choose to break the generational curses in his family. One woman can choose to break hers. Together, they can create a new pattern—a better one—that helps mend God’s heart in the world.