Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859, the same year as my great-grandfather Giovanni Gianotti. Doyle was, of course, a British physician and celebrated author of four books and 56 short stories featuring the exploits of the fictitious Sherlock Holmes. The name of this sleuth has become synonymous with investigative genius. He could piece together the minute details that others invariably overlooked as superfluous to solve the most complex crimes. Who hasn’t heard someone say, “Elementary, my dear Watson,” referring to his foil in mystery solving. Doyle also wrote other works, including fantasy and science fiction—all of which is surprising for a man whose upbringing was rough (due to an alcoholic father) and who lived for some time in what can only be described as squalor. Fortunately for Doyle, wealthy relatives provided the means for his education and escape from poverty into being a man of medicine and of letters.

If Sherlock Holmes is clever, intelligent and perceptive, what does that say about the creator of that character, Doyle? He must have been at least all that and more. The creator is inherently greater than his creation by virtue of having brought into existence that which he created.

While Doyle was a master storyteller and fascinated millions of readers with the Holmes intrigues and his other writings, in his personal life he was very interested in spiritism and the search for evidence of an afterlife. He befriended psychics, frequented seances and debated “anti-spiritists.” He had a widely known conflict with his one-time friend and celebrated magician Houdini. He believed Houdini had supernatural powers, contrary to the latter’s vehement denial and explanation that his feats were based on illusion and trickery. (Houdini was an ardent anti-spiritist).

Apparently, the investigative genius of Holmes did not extend to his fascination with life after death, and he became gullible to the kind of frauds of all that is false and contrary to reason or true faith. Yes, he had a faith, but it was of a kind that lacked substance, and he ended up forcing what he thought was evidence to fit his belief. Of course, Holmes was not an avowed Christian, but his creation of Sherlock Holmes raises an interesting application. Even though he was unable to consistently live out the objective mindset of Sherlock, he was that character’s creator, and thereby greater in ingenuity and intelligence. To put it another way, the existence of the stories of Sherlock Holmes is reasonable evidence of a great mind that created the character. So also, the existence of human beings with intellect and creativity provides reasonable evidence that there is a creator of the human story and existence, and that Creator is of a greater intellect and creativity than humans.

While my family line may not show evidence of the mental acuity of a Sherlock Holmes, the fact that I can think, feel and create is, in fact, evidence that there is a Creator greater than I, One who came before my great-grandfather and the ancestral line that extends back to the first humans, who were created out of the dust to reflect the image of God. Our abilities reflect a similarity with God, as derivative as it may be. If I exist and you exist, then a creator God must exist and be greater than all of us.

Even though Giovanni, my father and I are not as well-known as Doyle is, or as creative or intelligent as he, I am created in God’s image. The question is, how well do I reflect God in me and through me? And you?

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Gen. 1:27)