by Liz Crystal, Pre-K teacher
When I first started working at TCS, little did I know how the Lord would write the topic of imago Dei (the image of God) on my heart over that first semester. The imago Dei points out the reality that humans are made in the image of God. As I began serving at Trinity, I was given the opportunity to experience the imago Dei at an eye level. Little hands, little feet, and the amazing hearts of the students at TCS have pointed me to Jesus. Somehow these frail creatures are marked with the dignity of the Creator! No matter what we have done or what sin may be in our lives, we are created by God.
The ability to act, to love, to think all come from somewhere. The imago Dei says that somehow we resemble His likeness in form and structure. This is apparent in the lives of Pre-K students. As I see their hearts, their curiosity, their minds thinking, and their desire to be alive, I realize I am face to face with the imago Dei. God has given them the instinct to explore this world and to find out about Him. Four and five year olds have a lot of wise things to say.
“God is in 3 persons. I know it’s true. My dad told me.”
“I forgive you.”
“When I grow up I’m going to all the countries to tell people about Jesus.”
“Today I am thankful for… God, His Holy Word, and…Hawaii.”
These are His children. The Creator of the universe has stooped low to breathe life into us, and what a privilege to sense Christ being formed in these children.
One afternoon on the playground, it seemed the Lord blessed us with His presence in a special way. As the winds swept through the grounds, one child remarked “I feel like I am getting a massage on my head!” I agreed. I began to sense God’s love for her and for all the children there. In that moment, I was more awakened to God’s love for His people as His inheritance. The Lord has blessed us to have the privilege of caring for these children and it has made made me realize in a more tangible way how much the Lord must love His people. These creatures made in His image belong to Him. In a smaller way, the Lord has entrusted us with these little ones for a time at TCS.
As one of the primer teachers, I share in the joy of experiencing this together and I know our eyes are opened to the beauty of the imago Dei each time we enter into the classroom world of TCS!
