What Do They See When They Look At Me?

-

Question…

and be honest.

When was the last time you went down a different aisle at the grocery store simply to avoid having to talk with someone? Perhaps you like them, perhaps they're not your favorite. Nevertheless, for some reason you steer clear of an individual because “I just can’t deal with them today, Lord.”

Let’s consider the flip side to that scenario…

When is the last time that you suspected that someone ran away from you because they just didn’t want to deal with you? Especially the times when you have no clue why they seemed to have run away. But, what if they aren't really steering clear of you personally? What if they are actually avoiding Jesus - in you?

Huh?

Yep, sometimes our presence serves as a reminder of Jesus – simply just for being.

How about this scenario...

You see someone at the store you haven’t seen in a while – maybe even a couple of years. You’re excited to see them and you even have the extra time to talk. As you approach them you are feeling so blessed to run into them, and then you hear them say, “I know, I know. We haven’t been to church in a long time. We’ve been ______.”

Ugh! I absolutely hate it when that happens. 

My mind starts whirling. (I hate that. I’m not God. I’m not taking attendance. I just wanted to say Hi. I care about you! Can we just catch up?) But, my mouth says – “We have missed you. How are you? The kids? Work? How’s life?” Sometimes there is a fun conversation to be had, but more often an awkward exit takes place that seems more like they're fleeing from a fire.

Stunned and confused, I used to be utterly confused at this odd behavior. "Why did they act like they were at a confessional when they saw me? Is it because I’m the pastor’s wife?" I guess I'll never know for sure, but I think that in many cases my presence is just a reminder of Jesus. Seeing me triggered conviction. Not that I was accusatory or even had any thought of chastising them for their delinquency at church. Nope. When they saw me they were faced with their own absence before God in worship or maybe in their life as a whole.

While these brief encounters are often uncomfortable, they can actually be a reflection of a good thing. In Galatians 2:20 Paul states that “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Christ lives in me! Christ lives in you! If your presence reminds someone of Jesus, that is awesome!

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus called each of us to be lights in our world. He challenged us to “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.” As believers, we’ve been called to shine our light – living out the message of Christ’s love to the world around us. Not to be seen in and of ourselves, but so that others will see our Savior!

So, the questions we must consider today are these:

Do they see Jesus in me?
Do they know they are loved by God because of my love for them?

This week, may we each purpose to let our light - Christ living in me - shine brightly. May we love others well and serve them for God's glory! 

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for allowing us to reflect your light. Give us new eyes to see your work in our lives. Grant us courage of spirit and humbleness of heart to find our sense of purpose in You alone. To risk our lives and share your love with the world around us. Grant us hearts full of compassion so that we can love better. If our light has dimmed, may you fan that flame today. May our lights shine brightly into this dark world so that those around us will be drawn to You. Amen

**When you’ve got a minute, enjoy this music video and embrace God’s Spirit living in you today!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOg-1JjAdGk

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Make the Connection!

-
            Is attending a carnival ministry? Sure! It’s a unique way to meet people and build relationships. This year, an out-of-town visitor asked my husband if he was the mayor of our town. The sincere question made us both grin! It is so refreshing at times to see things from a different perspective. Apparently, the man had seen my husband “working the crowd” and was intrigued. What this visitor didn’t know was that my husband is friendly all year long – not just at parades or when he is in the public eye. He genuinely loves people, wants them to feel special and takes the time to remember names. Shaking hands and giving hugs comes naturally to him. But, what do I do when “my pastor” is connecting with people? Often, a smile is all that’s needed.               People are always watching, and that reality is easy to forget. As Christians, we are in essence ‘on para...
Read more

Overwhelmed, Underwhelmed or Simply Unmotivated

-
  January is that time of year that many people get the Winter Blues - a general view of life that just says, "Blah!" Being underwhelmed with life threatens our sense of purpose and joy and makes everything seem a bit bland and boring. Perhaps it is fueled by the cold weather, feeling housebound or the fact that all the green things in life are resting dormant below ground or snow. Or, maybe it is just the reality of returning to the basic routines of life (even in a Covid world). All the frantic and fun activities that surround Christmas are behind us, and we just have the decorations and the bank balance to deal with.  For others, January is an excuse to cozy up by the fire, read a book or enjoy an indulgent mug of hot chocolate or hot vanilla. They enjoy their Christmas decorations as long as possible and their soul finds healing when the world is covered in a sparkling blanket of snow. They reflect on Christmas memories made and reread Christmas greetings. They're thr...
Read more

Bathroom Gymnastics?

-
If I had to guess, you’ve been enrolled in the school of bathroom gymnastics along with countless others in our world. It’s much more theatrical than balancing on a beam or flipping around and between parallel bars. Yet, I do believe it involves some of the same skills that are needed for a quality vault or floor routine! See if you can relate… When out and about on a normal day, we find ourselves in need of a place to “rest.” Our own bathroom at home may be preferred, but there are times when one just needs to find a place to “sit a spell” - and soon! So, the search ensues. Is there a business nearby that is open? If so, is their lobby accessible? Do they have public bathrooms? Are they clean by even pre-COVID standards?  Check. Check. Check and check. We breathe a sigh of relief - well almost! It's only now that we see the sign : “Only X amount of people are allowed in the restroom at a time.” (Hmmm…how do I know how many people are already inside?) ...and so, the gymnastics begi...
Read more