By: Craig Rippy


Dirt! Ken Williams identified mankind as dirt during a communion devotion several years ago. "God formed man from the dust of the ground," Genesis 2:7. Of course, God's opinion of us is more than us being dirt, but the stuff we're made of is dirt.

Think about it though... Nothing, Dirt, Mankind. God began by Creatio ex nihilo ('creation out of nothing'). He then turned dust into mankind. We could be identified as "nothing." Yet, God has considered us worth far more than nothing.

Even though the Holy Angels were created in the beginning and continue to exist without death until the present, mankind is presently only a little lower than the "heavenly beings" (Psalm 8:5). The term "heavenly beings" may even indicate God Himself, since the Hebrew word is "elohiym." This word is the same word used for God in Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Therefore, mankind (dirt) has been created to be only a little lower than God. Matter of fact, the New American Standard Bible translates Psalm 8:5 as "God." This would agree with what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:3, Do you not know that we will judge angels? (NIV) The letter to the Hebrew Christians has a passage that indicates mankind is served by angels, "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14, NIV)

Now this brings us to the reason for our "Dirt" topic. Even though we are the crown of God's creation we shouldn't become proud. God is so superior to us that we can only imagine the greatness of His Majesty. Our imaginations aren't capable of reaching a proper understanding of His Nature. Think of it, we can't even figure out ourselves, let alone the opposite sex. Do you think we can fathom the depth of God's being?

Tim Gola has a favorite verse of Scripture, The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law (Deuteronomy 29:29 - NIV). This verse gives us the scoop about what we know. We know only what God elects to reveal to us. From study of the natural world we can learn much and God has given this to us. The study of arts, humanities, and sciences grant certain understanding. Spiritually, we have insight to whatever God measures out to us. Yet, our spiritual and intellectual understanding is granted to us by the Lord.

Now, dirt (mankind) is limited. We can't fly on our own power, but we can jump, fall and travel by modern convenience above the ground. We can't pass through solids or travel space without special suits. We aren't able to leap tall buildings, run faster than an Indy car or lift what a construction crane can. However, we can cause the spiritual rulers and authorities to say, WOW!

God has invested much into mankind. It seems the whole of the universe revolves around the activities of God with mankind. Ephesians 3:10 & 11 reads, 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. (NIV)

The Church is mankind at his/her best. The Church consists of mankind (dirt) who have been transferred into the Kingdom of God to reveal the Wonder and Majesty of the creator to the rest of creation. Through the Awesome work of Jesus Christ the Church is the light of the world, proclaiming the glory of God to the earth's inhabitants.

As each member of the Church work in unity with the other members we become a force the spiritual personalities are amazed at. Yet, to be the awesome influence we are to be, we must be unified in service under one head, Jesus Christ. We are special as we allow the head to direct the body (the Church). The Church can shine for God as we each do our part as servants. (Read: Ephesians 4:1-16)

Even though God created us to be special, this doesn't mean we are without responsibility. We are special because God has invested in us, not because we are intrinsically so. God is eternal and we are nothing, dirt, mankind, the Church.