The Image of Christ
II Corinthians 3:2-3 & 5
“.. ²You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. ³You show that you are a letter of Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on the tablets of human hearts… .not that we are competent in ourselves, but our competence comes from God.”
WOW! What a challenge! These verses remind me that my words, my actions and my life itself are an open book to those around me. After reading those verses, I began to wonder what do people really see when they come in contact with me. Do they see me as a child of God who reflects the image of Christ, or do they see someone who is always frustrated trying to live by the letter of the law or perhaps as someone who is constantly trying to please others and conform to the teachings of the world?
Verse five reminds me that in my own strength I can do nothing that will draw people to Christ. It reminds me that I must depend on Him, completely, for any growth in my personal walk and for any ministry that proceeds from me.
So many times we worry about what others think about us, but I wonder how many times we worry about what kind of example we are for our children? (For those of you who don’t have children, we all have children that we influence) What kind of image do they perceive about us when it’s “just us” behind closed doors?
Psalm 101:2 inspires me! “I will lead a life of integrity in my home.” I vigrx reviews ask myself, do my actions coincide with my words or do my children see me preach one thing and then do another? I think the greatest gift we can give our children is a life full of consistency. They need to see an example of a person who is doing their best to live for Christ and Christ alone. Of course there will be times when we make mistakes (we are human) but how important is it for our children to see parents who really live what they believe? Psalm 119:5 encourages me to live a life that reflects the image of Christ. “Oh that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees.”
That’s the kind of image I want to show my children and to those around me. I don’t mind if people see me struggle or even fall at times. What I want is for them to see is that I can acknowledge when I make a mistake, that I am willing to ask forgiveness and then am able to move on towards becoming the person God wants me to become.
Father, may my life always be seen as a letter from Christ written to those that know me, a letter that reflects the image of Christ.
“So we keep praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is made possible because of the grace of our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” II Thessalonians 1:11-12