As a soil scientist, my hands often look like the picture shown here. Fingers, hands, arms, and overalls covered in mud from taking soil samples for analysis in the field and/or laboratory.
As a Christian, Genesis 1:26-28 and 2:7 tell me God formed Adam in His Image from soil.
Could God’s Hands have looked like mine (and the picture above) when He made Adam from the soil? Scripture doesn’t answer that question. Yet, Scripture does tell us, as Christians, when we care for others, it is as if Jesus Himself was doing the task (see Matthew 10:42).
I have some dear friends who love planting, working with, and digging in soil like I do. I also have some dear friends who really dislike getting their hands dirty.* More importantly, these friends, independent of their inclinations about soil, are faithful in getting their fingers, hands, arms, and overalls dirty in the doing of caring for others as Jesus would have them do.
They love Jesus.
Thus, they love Him by caring for people as Jesus would have them do (see John 13:34-35).
My friends see the beauty of folks made in the Image of God hidden under (often) many layers of dirt from sin. Sin which has left deep furrows of pain and shame in their hearts and lives and out on others as well.
My friends know that hurt people hurt people. And in this knowing, my friends choose to love in prayer, in giving, in loving, and in staying. For they know this truth: no pit is too deep, no sin is too dark, no work is too hard, no cost is too high, for the love of Christ given in the power of Christ.
As a soil scientist, I cannot properly analyze soil from a distance. I have to get in and work with the soil to find answers. In turn, these answers can help others. Likewise, as Christians, we cannot sit to the side waiting for someone else to declare the truth of the Gospel to others in our lives. We need to get in and work with folks for them to know Jesus as the Answer, the Way, the Truth, and the Life (see John 14:6 TLB). For only Jesus can bring true help and hope to people.
On that note, what if the person(s) who told you about Jesus and His love for you had chosen to be silent or stand afar off? What if they had kept the answer of Jesus to themselves?
If you’ve thought of someone(s) who loves Jesus enough to get their hands dirty in caring for people, please take some time to pray and thank God for these folks. Also, consider taking some more time to send them a card, note, email, or call along with setting aside time later to pray for them again. Prayer for our friends all over the world loving Jesus by loving people is a need beyond words. Thank You, God, that no need is ever beyond You and Your Word!
On that idea concerning prayer, please also take some time to pray to have your eyes opened by the Holy Spirit to see folks in your life who desperately need you to show them Jesus loves them. Dirty hands are a very low price to pay for even one more to know the deep love of Jesus for and in them.
* Note: Soil and dirt are not synonyms. Thus, they can’t be used as interchangeable nouns. Soil is what we plant, cultivate, and build our world on as an irreplaceably valuable resource. Dirt is soil out-of-place, i.e. what we wash out of clothes, off dishes, floors, and from under fingernails. For those of you who know me well, you knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to distinguish between soil and dirt. You were just surprised I waited to put this explanation in a footnote (grin!).
written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2026.
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