Ego or Reflection? - Some Thoughts About God Making Man in His Image

In Genesis it says that God "made man in his own image". I often think about what it means to be the image of God. Mary Baker Eddy, a 19th century Christian thinker, author, and healer, has helped me understand more about what it means to be the image of God. In her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures she describes man as "God's image or reflection".

I love looking at reflections in the water. I've noticed that reflections are complete and identical to the original in color and detail. Reflections don't create anything and don't have to struggle to do anything. Reflections are not the result of a stressful effort to copy the original, but the natural, effortless, and inevitable result of what is being reflected.

The opposite of reflection is ego. Answers.com defines ego as "the division of the psyche that is conscious, most immediately controls thought and behavior, and is most in touch with external reality". I find it helpful to consider the question: "Am I a personal ego or a reflection (the image and likeness) of God?" Here are some important distinctions:

• Ego struggles to obtain it's own will. Reflection recognizes that God is in complete and absolute control of all details.
• Ego seeks to get good. Reflection recognizes that because God is Good, all good is always included. No good can be missing and nothing but good can be present.
• Ego lacks and is seeking to get and hold. Reflection naturally and effortlessly is always complete and satisfied.
• Ego seeks glorification of itself. Reflection rejoices in glorifying God.
• Ego fears, worries, and doubts. Reflection patiently and confidently trusts.
• Ego is alone. Reflection is one with God.
• Ego sees everyone as separate. Reflection sees everyone as unifided and embraces everyone as one.
• Ego envies another's good. Reflection rejoices in everyone's good.
• Ego is impatient and frustrated. Reflection knows that God is always in control, waits on God, and recognizes that time is a mortal ego-concept.
• Ego seeks attention and recognition. Reflection feels satisfaction in giving attention to God and recognizing God's presence, power, and influence. Reflection knows that each individual is recognized and valued by God.
• Ego is jealous and envious. Reflection rejoices in all good as part the same total reflection of God.
• Ego gets tense, stressed, irritated. Reflection is relaxed and at peace.
• Ego is jealous and envious. Reflection rejoices in all good as part of God's whole.
• Ego always wants more or less. Reflection has the right amount.
• Ego wants to direct. Reflection goes with the rhythm of Spirit.
• Ego seeks to impress. Reflection is satisfied in expressing.
• Ego is rivalry. Reflection is unity and the First Commandment (no other gods).
• Ego is competative. Reflection works together to achieve excellence.
• Ego is the pleasures and pains of sense. Reflection is the joys of Soul.
• Ego accuses. Reflection embraces.
• Ego wants its share (or more). Reflection understands that all good belongs to God and is available as needed to each of God's ideas.
• Ego wants to be right. Reflection wants to see right.
• Ego gets embarased, disappointed, self-conscious. Reflection is conscious of the allness of God.
• Ego is resentful. Reflection is humble, selfless, forgiving, and bears no grudges.
• Ego assigns blame. Reflection understands the nothingness of evil and the allness of God.
• Ego sees a world divided into many little egos. Reflection sees only God.

When I become aware of myself thinking or acting like an ego, I stop this behavior and replace it with reflection behavior. This practice brings peace and harmony to my experience.


NOTE: If you examine the photo above closely, you'll see a small strip of beach sand in the upper right corner. The photo is actually upside down. The real mountains and trees are in the lower one-quarter of the photo and the reflection is the upper three-quarters.