In us, others see Christ
The glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (New Living Translation)
It was only a split second…a moment…and he was gone. One minute I looked into the eyes of a good friend, the next…a killer. Time seemed to grind into slow motion as reality caught up.
I’d never been to a trial. Never listened to real litigation before. Never imagined I’d know a killer. My husband slipped his arm around me and pulled me close. He could see the disbelief on my face…the shock of the truth.
I’d admired Lisa from a distance so when fate allowed, we became best friends. She was multi-talented, a singer, artist and when she and Mark married, folks thought, “Odd couple. But not.” We’d lived in the same apartment building, grocery shopped with coupons and $25 between us; even made a top ten list of questions to ask God once we got to heaven, like which really did come first…the chicken or the egg? The face of Jesus shined bright in Lisa and Mark.
Now I watched the trial of the man she loved…the one who’d snuffed out her light for Christ. As I listened to the attorneys drill this man, his once gentle face wrinkled and twisted in bitterness. And when the judge handed down the verdict of guilty, his scowl hardened. In that moment the once bright light of Christ that had glowed through him, faded. The man I’d known …gone.
There is truth in the fact that when we really love Christ, it shows in our very essence. Folks look at us in our joy and our sadness and wonder what is it that stands out. How, in the midst of hardship, can we possibly seem so…so…different? They don’t understand how Christ literally fills us. How He shines through us and how our love for Him gives them a glimpse of God.
That’s why it’s vital we develop our relationship with Jesus. The deeper we know Him, the more He shines through us and the greater example of how life with Him shows others what brings us through the rough patches.
I try to remember I might be the only glimpse of Christ others might see. At times I fail miserably but praise God for grace and forgiveness. God knows I’m imperfect. He knows I sin but still He chooses to live inside me. He still lives in Mark too.
The glory of God is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. Let’s face it…He is mirrored in us. Now, lift the bushel and let His glory shine through you.
Eddie Jones and Cindy Sproles are friends and cofounders of ChristianDevotions.us. They cowrite the popular He Said, She Said devotions and host Blog Talk Radio’s Christian Devotions SPEAK UP! along with Scott McCausey. Eddie and Cindy travel and speak at conferences across the country and they are available to speak at your church or conference. Contact them at cindy@christiandevotions.us.
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