He made us different

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands… (Psalm 8:4–6 ESV)

Knowing that we as individuals, and all human beings, are made in God’s image, what does that mean in our everyday lives? Is it significant? Should it affect our thinking and actions? The simple answer is yes; it should.

Being the only created thing that God said is made in His image and likeness shows that human beings are special in God’s eyes. The Bible states that humankind is at the pinnacle of physical creation and that God put man in place to rule and take care of the earth.

God has made humans to be different from all other physical creatures. He has placed humans above the other creatures and has made them distinct. While He created us along with all other things, He made us different from all other created things by making us in His image. He created us as unique beings and intimately breathed life into us.

God loves His image-bearing creatures, and He values us. Because God values human beings, each has intrinsic, essential value. He made us personal beings, able to enter a relationship with Him and other humans. He made us a combined physical and spiritual being by giving us body and spirit.

And even though all humans have sinned against Him, He loves us so much that He made a way for humanity to become reconciled with Him through the life, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. [1]

Every living human being is of intrinsic worth—poor or rich, female or male, educated or not, lighter or darker—because he or she is an endlessly existing active spiritual person like God. - Gordon R. Lewis and Bruce A. Demarest

[1] Anchor What Being Image Bearers Means