Like Father

Do newborns typically look more like their mothers or their fathers? It depends on whom you ask. In-laws invariably see in their grandchild the facial features of their son or daughter. New mothers often see the features of their husband in their baby. But looks obviously can change. That shock of black hair on your newborn might totally disappear and you may eventually have a blond-haired child.

In a 1995 study at the University of California, people were supposedly much better at matching photos of one-year-old children with their fathers than with photos of their mothers. But many follow-up studies that tried to duplicate this study found that most infants resemble both parents equally. What appears to hold more truth is that dads who tend to resemble their babies on average spend more time with them. And the more attention babies get from their dads, the healthier they are by the age of one (Journal of Health Economics, January 2018).

The Bible tells us that people were created in the likeness of God. “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). When the Lord created animals—like birds, fish, reptiles, insects, and mammals— they were made “according to their kind” (v. 21). But humans were made after the divine type, not after some stripe in the animal kingdom.

In an age when many scientists claim that humans have evolved from animals, the Scriptures place a clear line of division between humanity and animals. In fact, Luke goes so far as to plainly call Adam “the son of God” (Luke 3:38). All people may trace their lineage back to Adam and Eve, for God “has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). That means in some way we all share the likeness of our heavenly Father.

Apply It:

Do you look more like your mother or your father? Did that change over time? You can grow to look more like your heavenly Father.

Dig Deeper:

Psalm 8:4–9; Romans 5:12, 19; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22

Key Bible Texts

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2 KJV)