Catechism: Broken MirrorsSample

When we feel a void in our life, we often rush to fill it. Hungry? Eat a snack. Bored? Pick up your phone. Lonely? Text a friend. But what happens when the thing we choose to fill the void doesn’t quite fill it? What happens when the void is so big that nothing satisfies?

That’s what Paul is describing in Romans 1. This passage can feel pretty dark because it describes what happens when we reject God, creating the biggest void of all. No replacement satisfies, and everything becomes out of balance as a result. 

The confusion spreads from society as a whole into our own hearts. When we don’t value God for who He is, we won’t value others or ourselves as His image-bearers. We start to believe lies about our worth, to hate and belittle ourselves, and to feel shame because we don’t live up to the unrealistic images we see glorified on social media.

The world’s brokenness isn’t a hopeless situation--God invites us to find wholeness in Christ. While God’s remaking and restoring process begins now, we look forward to the day when Jesus returns to make everything right.

Read Romans 1:21-25

Reflection Questions:

1. How does a rejection of God lead to confusion on every level? Can you recognize any ways that our society has become confused about issues of body image? 


2. This passage presents two extremes: degrading the human body and worshipping it. What would you say is a healthy view of the human body? How can we, as Christians, live out this healthy view?


3. Right thinking about ourselves begins with focusing on who God is. Spend some time in prayer asking God to reorder and realign your thinking about body image by starting with who He is. Think about the character of God and thank Him for who He is.