Reflections

Reflections...

...beautiful images come to my mind!

Some are clear...

Some are distorted...

In most cases, you can gain a sense of
the original image in the reflection.

When it comes to living as a redeemed child of God, it's the same in many ways, there are times we reflect Him more accurately than others.
Humans were made in the image of God, made to reflect Him to each other.  

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  2 CORINTHIANS 3:18

As I interact with people, how well am I reflecting the Lord to them?

Today, when we do good things, most people don't recognize that as a reflection of God in us, they see us as being a "good person."  Several years ago I began to wonder how to communicate in such a way that others would know that it is my relationship with the Lord that makes the difference.

...are we being merely "good" people,
or letting others know we are "God's People" ?

Mission, Jesus style calls us to always give credit to the Lord.  When I take the credit for God's work in me, I'm not reflecting Him accurately.  It makes me think of a conversation between Phillip and Jesus, when Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show us the Father'?  Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  JOHN 14:9-10

Jesus always pointed people to the work of the Father.  Although He was God, Jesus continually provided examples of how to give glory to the Father, to help people know of His goodness and the love he pours out for His creation.  

The writer of Hebrews tells us:
The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. HEBREWS 1:3 

Jesus prayer is that those who know Him will reflect the Father,
just like He has

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. JOHN 17:20-23


As a redeemed child of God, I am part of the Body of Christ, the church, whose purpose is to reflect Him well and make Him known.  Paul writes:

Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. EPHESIANS 3:8-11 

Lord, I pray that I will reflect upon you well today 

and give credit of Your glory, where credit is due.