What Is Man? (1)
Scripture Reading — Psalm 8
What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
Psalm 8:4
While clearing out some old files, I came across an article titled What Is Man? It says that in our body we have about ten gallons of water, enough fat to make three bars of soap, enough sulfur to get rid of all the fleas on a German Shepherd, and enough iron to make a two-inch nail. But the author said that he could buy all these for less than five dollars. What is man, he sneered, with a price tag of less than four cents per pound (assuming an average-weight person)!
This reduction of human life to a random collection of chemicals is a direct attack on the sanctity of life. Sadly, it has made itself known throughout history in neverending wars and ethnic rivalries. We daily witness this disrespect for human life in the abuse of drugs, abortions of unwanted babies, and gang murders.
What is man?
David, who wrote Psalm 8, also asked that question. But David was not sarcastic. Rather, he said it with a sigh, because he was so amazed. Surely we are so small that we are not worth much materially, but God cares for us. Out of all his creation the Creator chooses us to be his imagebearers; God makes us to be rulers of all creation; the Lord gives us glory and honor that we do not deserve. God loves us so much that he wants to live in us. He wants us to live with him forever!
Creator God, help us to see each person as your imagebearer. Forgive us when we do not respect others, and help us to fight for the sanctity of human life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Jimmy Tai-On Lin
Rev. Jimmy Lin is the Chinese ministry leader of The Back to God Hour. With his staff in Palos Heights and Hong Kong, Rev. Lin has ministered to over 1.3 billion Chinese-speaking people around the world for 16 years through radio, literature, CD/DVD, Internet, and text message. His wife, Doris, is one of the translators of Today into the Chinese language, which now has a circulation of more than 45,000 copies.
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