“God created man in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” – Genesis 1:27
When I’m so caught up in the hecticness of everyday life, it’s quite easy for me to forget that we are made in God’s image. On days full of overwhelming stress and work especially, it’s easy to only see my failures and shortcomings. It’s easy to look around myself and feel that everyone else is succeeding while I am struggling, and critically turn my attention inwards in the hopes of rooting out some of my millions of perceived faults. It’s easy to get caught up in that negativity, but on those days I am at my worst I try to think of this quote by Rabbi Simcha Bunim Peshischa:
“Everyone must have two pockets, with a note in each pocket, so they can reach into one or the other, depending on the need. When feeling high and mighty one should reach into the left pocket, and find the words: ‘I am but dust and ashes.’ But when feeling lowly and depressed, discouraged or disconsolate, one should reach into the right pocket, and there find the words, ‘For my sake the world was created.’”
It introduces the interesting conundrum of wrestling with humility and the idea of being almost insignificant, dust and ashes, while simultaneously being irreplaceable and significant in our individual uniqueness. It is difficult to hold true pride and humility in balance. And so I pray, “Lord, help me to not let false humility steal into my heart. Steer me away from the self-deprecation that comes from comparison and competition. Keep me from hubristic pride and boastfulness, yet help me to always remember the dignity and glory of being a child of God.”
– Audrey Kunz