Dust v Image of God

In Genesis Chapters 1 and 2, we find the following descriptions of mankind:

‘the image of God’

‘of dust from the ground’

These are two opposing concepts, one of great value, worth, significance and power -  being an image bearer of the Lord God. The other of lowliness, dirt and insignificance - made out of mud. 

Why were human beings created with such a conflict inherent in their being? 

I think that as humans we can err on two accounts, some of us readily associate with the saying, ‘I am but a worm’, indicating that we consider ourselves dirt - we can identify ourselves as of little worth and value and therefore understand the fact that we are in fact just dirt that walks around. To you, God would remind you you also bear His image. He formed you, He put HIs breath in you, AND He made you like Himself, so you have the opportunity to demonstrate who God is just by being yourself in this world. 

Others err in the fact that they are overly confident in the fact that they are like mini-gods roaming around. Full of the confidence that they are image-bearers of God, which can lead to pride, over confidence and self-importance, even then thinking that the world is about them and how it effects them. To these, God would say, you are, 'of dust from the ground'  Have you forgotten who formed you and what from? Do you even know how many breaths you have left or how many hairs on your own head? but God gives you every one? 

Remember what you are and where you came from.

You are who you are because of Almighty God’s creative power, not anything to do with your own perception of yourself, or others’ opinions or actions. God doesn’t  want you to get prideful or downhearted about who you are, if you struggle with one or the other of these mindsets, then consider the other perspective and honour God for it.

This inherent conflict is striving to strike a balance, and should remind us again who God is. This internal mindset should ultimately lead us to worship God - How else can we respond when we realise that we are endowed with kingly demeanour, yet we are created from the base of the earth? 

Only God can bring breath and life to dirt! Only God can bring value and strength from the muddy mess that we can find ourselves in. Only God knows and can reveal our purpose. 

Enjoy and appreciate the tension that you are the image of God, yet you are also dirt. It will give you the right balance of acknowledgement of your place and stature in this Earthly kingdom, and in the kingdom to come.