If you want to reach your untapped potential, then you’re starting an exciting journey.
This journey begins with exploring the power of your human identity—as a free moral agent made in God’s image. No other story ever written gives a more accurate and precise description of the human potential and diagnosis of the human condition than the book of Genesis. This book gives two accounts of the origins of mankind that help us understand our identity with all its awesome potential and our role in the world.
The first account in chapter 1, describes how God created and ordered the universe from a cosmological perspective. We learn about how God creates and orders the universe out of chaos. After creating the entire animal kingdom on the sixth day, God then created a new creature distinct and unique from the animals. The animals were created each after their own kind, but God created mankind in His own image and likeness—after His own kind. At the climax of the first account, we learn why God created and ordered the universe: so that mankind could rule over creation under Him. As image bearers of God, mankind is given agency and responsibility to cultivate and develop the creation. This first account tells us about mankind’s original role and purpose as the central character in the universe.
The second account in chapter 2, describes the creation but this time focusing on human beings as relational creatures. In this chapter we learn one of the most fundamental reasons for our existence—to live in relation with God and others—this is why the need for human connection and love is hardwired into the very fabric of our biology and consciousness. Throughout Genesis we see love implicitly in the characters and their stories. However, the true power of the Genesis story is that love can’t be understood by reading about it in a textbook. A true understanding of love comes from lived experiences. God granted human beings free moral agency because without it, true love wasn’t possible. God doesn’t desire autonomous robots; He desires independent unique creatures that choose to live in harmony—in shalom with Him. But because of this free moral agency, life is unpredictable. Such unpredictability is expressed in the Bible as chaos. Chaos and order are a recurring theme that manifests itself in various expressions throughout Scripture.
Such chaos presents humanity with an opportunity to develop our character; to find ways to order our lives in the wilderness of chaos and disaster.
In the following chapter we learn about the consequence of this free moral agency. In this part of the story, we read about the greatest mistake of human history. Mankind was tempted with God-like knowledge—to know and decide for themselves the difference between good and evil. And so Adam and Eve made the choice to know good and evil, disobeying God’s command. The consequence resulted in man turning God’s ordered creation into chaos as we see in the many stories presented later in the book. But such chaos presents humanity with an opportunity to develop our character; to find ways to order our lives in the wilderness of chaos and disaster. As the story of Genesis continues, we learn more about how we must ultimately completely depend on God to help us find order in our environment, communities, families, and our lives. It was the same with the various heroes of the Bible: Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. All these characters had different struggles which are common to our human experience.
Therefore, the Genesis story gives us the fundamental premise of God’s plan for world peace. This story teaches us foundational truths about human psychology, ethics, and philosophy through its characters and their stories. The wisdom of Genesis is just as relevant today as it was 4000 years ago because it’s not just a static set of rules, it’s a journey we are all on together. It’s the journey of developing our character, of learning from our mistakes, and seeking a right relationship with God.
Thus, God’s plan for world peace has humble beginnings because it begins on an individual level—it begins with our character development, and it ends with a restored humanity and world. As Jesus himself said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31). So never underestimate your life and the journey you are on because many great things start small.
By Timothy Stahle