In our walk with the Lord, the definition of reflection can be a word that changes meaning for us. I remember when I was 19 years old I lived with my aunt and uncle. My uncle is a pastor and he was helping me through some difficult choices in life. They took me in to live with them because I had a rebellious heart and chose not to stay with my parents because I was an “adult”. During this time in my life, I really had no intention of reflecting on my life. I was 19 years old and of course, I knew everything! I quickly found out I didn’t know everything, and still today I do not know everything. While living there my uncle always helped me reflect on where I had been, and where I was going in my life. This brings me to the word, reflection.
My uncle had me look at a photo of myself from the prior year and then look at myself at that time. He said, do you see something different? I of course responded, NO! He told me that he saw something different. The picture captured something different in my eyes. He said in the picture he could see that Christ was in my eyes. The joy of Christ was there, but he didn’t see Christ in my eyes during this time in my life. From that point on I have always paid attention to what my eyes, and of course, my life are reflecting.
As we walk with the Lord our reflection of Him may not be as apparent to others. This may or may not be because we aren’t fully devoted to Him like I was at the age of 19. This lack of reflection may simply be because we have become too comfortable to live outside of our comfort zone and reflect him to strangers. Possibly we are only comfortable reflecting him to our inner-Christian circle of friends, but not out beyond the walls of those relationships.
In Luke chapter 7 we read about the woman who was so overwhelmed with her worship of Jesus she poured perfume over his feet. This was an outward demonstration of full devotion to Him. In her life, she had very little that belonged only to her and she gave this gift to Him in a very public way. She allowed her reflection to be fully surrendered even in front of those who already considered themselves fully surrendered.
Where is your reflection today? Is Christ only reflected to the ones who already know Him or are you reflecting Him everywhere? Is your reflection needing to be cleaned up a bit? Is it time to re-surrender and come back to the feet of Christ?
But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14: 10-11
Blessings,
Pastor Hope Terhaar