In my latest book, Growing Generous Souls (soon to be published), I wrote about ways we can grow increasingly into “the image of God.” God sees us, not just how we have been or are now, but how we can become more radiant with God’s love, both within who we are and in our relationships with all around us.

A Christian Century article I read recently referred to how John Wesley understood the possibility of “living in the moral image of God:” breathing in God’s compassion, generosity, and love. As we breathe these in, we can breathe out the same things to others. It occurred to me that this is stewardship of the gospel: inhaling God’s love and exhaling it upon others.

I love this breathing image, because it’s such a natural process. My life depends on breathing in and breathing out, and I can’t stop the process without losing my life. God breathed the Spirit / Wind / Breath (same word) of life into us, 1 and the Living Christ breathes upon us. 2 In return, we breathe out God’s Breath of love by our actions, spread on the Pentecost wind 3 to the ends of the Earth. What a glorious, Spirit-filled process!

Your partner in ministry,

Betsy Schwarzentraub

1 – Genesis 2: 7
2 – John 20:22
3 – Acts 2:1-4

See also: Breathing Our Gratitude