dignity begins before usefulness

People try to locate the image of God in an ability - reason, speech, conscience, creativity. Heiser argues that every one of those attempts fails, because each of them can be diminished or missing in a human being who is still fully human.
His reading is different. "The image is not an ability we have, but a status." It is conferred by God on all humans, and what it confers is a role: to represent him here. That means the image is a commission, not a score. You do not earn it by being capable, and you do not lose it by being unable.
Scripture links:
- Genesis 1:26-27 - "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." - The plural is Yahweh speaking to his divine council; the image is representation, not an attribute.
- Genesis 1:28 - The dominion mandate that follows is the job description attached to the status.
Your worth was handed to you before you did anything with it. Nothing you fail at today can hand it back.