Biblical Worldview
Biblical Worldview Essay
Kelli McClellan
Liberty University
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Biblical Worldview Essay
The Bible teaches us in Genesis 1:26, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image
after our likeness”. (ESV). What does it actually mean to be created in the image of God? At the
very least, this means humans occupy a higher place in the created order because we are
imprinted with God like characteristics. (Staub et al., 2013). Some of these characteristics
include creativity, intelligence, ability to communicate, having relationships, morality, and
having purpose. I have chosen to pursue a career in education. My belief that we are all created
in the image of God leads me to perform my job with the conviction of the Holy Spirit by
exemplifying Godly characteristics in my interactions with students, parents and colleagues.
This belief will also guide me in making decisions that are in the best interest of the people that I
interact with in my profession.
One way that my belief will impact my career is in the relationships that I build with
students, parents and colleagues. Relationship is defined as “the way in which two or more
people, groups, countries, etc., talk to, behave toward, and deal with each other”. (Merrium-
Webster, 1994) As a Christian and an educator, I believe that it is important to be sincere, honest
and compassionate when teaching children and interacting with their parents. We should look at
others the same way that God looks at us. When dealing with children, understanding that God
created them in His image will help me to see the uniqueness of each one and respond
accordingly to their needs. I believe that an educator should always put the best interest of their
students first when making decisions and in their interactions in the classroom. Sometimes this
will require accountability and sometimes it will require grace. In Mark 12:31, Jesus commands
that “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. This is not always easy to do when you have an
unruly child or one that may have a learning disability. However, I would try to fulfill this
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commandment by treating each child with dignity and respect, showing compassion when
communicating with parents, and being honest and graceful with my colleagues. Each day as an
educator will present new challenges. I will strive each day to portray Christ like qualities in
order to convey a message of who I am in Christ. Towns says, “Since the Christian has a
wonderful position in Christ, he needs to conform his daily, earthly life to heavenly standards”.
(Towns, E., 2007, ch. 6). Striving to show the love of Christ through how I act at work is an
important attribute as an educator.
Another example of how my belief will impact my role as an educator is the
influence that I will have as I teach them how to treat others. It is an important responsibility of
this profession to not only teach academics but to give them life skills to guide them in becoming
responsible adults. Although some school districts do not allow people to incorporate religious
doctrine in their curriculum, there are moral standards that are generally accepted and are parallel
to Christian beliefs. Luke 6:31 says, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to
them.”. (ESV). This is known to everyone, Christian or non-Christian, as the “Golden Rule”.
This biblical principal can be used in education as the standard for how children should behave
in a school setting and can influence them outside of school as well. I would lead by example so
that it would be modeled for them and the expectations are clear. For example, if a student is
being a bully, then I would have a conversation about how their actions or words are affecting
others. Within the conversation, my goal would be to instill empathy for others and
accountability for their actions. This is based on my belief that we are all born into a sinful
nature, but God still loves us. Since we were created in His image, we are all unique and special
in the sight of God. Even though I may not be able to speak about God directly, I can still teach
the same principles so that a child can make good choices about the way he treats others and the
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consequences of his actions. The way we treat others is an indication of the relationship we have
with God. The more intimate our relationship is with God, the more evident it will be in how we
treat others. “Being created in the image of God should help us point others to the King of
Kings.”. (Etzel, G., & Gutierrez, B., 2012, ch. 11). In other words, people should recognize
something different about us in every area of our lives. As an educator who is a Christian, I feel
I have a responsibility to glorify God even while at work. This can make a positive difference in
the lives of the families that I am involved with.
There is a well-known saying, “people don’t care how much you know until they
know how much you care”. Being in an education profession, gaining knowledge is expected. It
will make a bigger impact on those around us when we teach knowledge with compassion, love
and respect. We have to remember that being created in the image of God makes us unique
compared to all other creation. God created mankind so that he could be in a relationship with
us. He made us this way so that the same qualities that he has to commune with us, we can use
to build relationships with others. These relationships are meant to glorify Him. In order to do
that, we have to use the God given qualities to nurture the relationships we have the
opportunities to create. This gives God the ability to use us for the purpose that he created us for.
Although we will never be perfect in our efforts, each day is another opportunity to let Christ
work in our lives and in the lives of others.
(Words: 950)
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References
Etzel, G. & Gutierrez, B., (2012). Theology Applied: A Living Faith. WORDsearch
Merrium-Webster, (1994). Merrium-Webster dictionary. (new Ed.). United States: Turtleback
Books.
Staub, D., Brand, J., Walker, A., Son, A.S., Grooms, K., Macadonta, M. (2013, March 4). What
“made in the image of God” really means. Retrieved February 14, 2016. From Practical Faith,
http://relevantmagazine.com/go/deeper-walk/features/23549-qmade-in-the-image-of-godq.
Towns, E., (2007). Core Christianity: What is Christianity all about? Chattanooga, TN: AMG
Publishers.
Books, C. (2008). The Holy Bible: English Standard Version: The ESV study bible. Wheaton, IL:
Good News Publishers.
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