Autism and the "Image of God"

Summer time is my favorite season. Having the summers off is the main reason why I wanted to become a teacher in the first place. Moreover, nothing beats summer time in Southern California. The sun is always out, the beaches beckon, and best of all – no work! This summer was different. I decided that two months without working was more than I could handle. I decided to apply to teach summer school. The extra cash wasn’t needed but who couldn’t use extra cash? When you apply for summer school there is no guarantee on what class you may end up teaching. When I received my assignment my heart dropped because it was a 2nd/3rd grade Autism class. This was going to be a lot of work and I wasn’t sure if I was prepared for something like this.

I called my buddy Bryan and asked if I should take the assignment. He replied laughing, “Only the Lord would give YOU this assignment.” I thought to myself, “Let’s see here, I would miss half my summer, miss out on a family vacation to Mammoth during the first week of summer school, and I would be in a classroom all day with nine boys with severe Autism. I guess that IS the Lord!” My sister Vicky also laughed and didn’t believe I would be able to handle it. For all intents and purposes, she was right but I decided to tough it out anyway and keep the assignment.

I had no clue what to expect. Interestingly, as the days and weeks passed by, I realized that it is difficult for parents who have children with severe Autism. The Special Education department and the perception of disabilities have come a long way. People with severe disabilities used to simply be institutionalized- basically locked away so they could be out of the way. They would never grow as human beings and most often would grow worst in their deficiencies.

Through this past month I started reflecting on what it means to be created in the “image of God” and what it means to be human. Without hashing out the entire doctrine of humanity, in it’s simplest form, God created man in His image and man is therefore more like God than anything else in creation. Grudem says, “The fact that man is in the image of God means that man is like God and represents God.” However, through the sin of Adam, God’s image in man is distorted but not entirely lost. Dispite having a sinful nature man is still in the image of God, “in every aspect of life some parts of that image have been distorted or lost.”

Trying to teach these children was difficult. They would rebel, resist listening, kick, scream, and hit you. There were dirty diapers and urinating on the playground. The staff I was working with was remarkably patient. Unexpectedly, I was growing more compassionate instead of impatient. This would not be possible without having a good theological understanding of humanity and the working of the Holy Spirit in my life. I understood that just because these children have a disability does not mean they are any less created in God's image.

Furthermore, I also began to think how throughout Scripture God is a father to the fatherless and that he protects the poor and the widows. In the New Testament, during Jesus’ life and ministry, he gave sight to the blind, feed the poor, and healed the lame. I see God’s compassion on the sufferings of people everywhere. Now the Bible doesn’t say, “disabilities” but it’s the idea of disadvantaged people whom God deeply cares about and expects us to care for as well (James 1:27). The summer school program is a public school and therefore secular. These kids were being provided with care and services that were not available as recent as twenty years ago.



Today was the last day of school and I have to admit I grew attached to some of the students (very unexpectedly). I prayed for them every morning on my way to work and today I decided to let each of them know that Jesus loved them and died for their sins. I told each individual when I had the chance. I’m not sure if any of them understood what I was trying to say but I knew I couldn’t let God be an unspoken assumption.

Yes, I’ll get an extra paycheck and that is a blessing. But it’s the personal growth in Christ that I will remember this summer. I am truly amazed that Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, decided to show more of Himself to me through a group of nine boys with severe Autism. I guess this is the kind of God who sends His Son to enter humanity and die for our sins.