I once enrolled in an online iPhone photography course. Besides receiving instructions from experienced iPhone photographers on how to capture and edit remarkable photos, students were invited to join a Facebook community of their peers and participate in constructive critiques.
While on vacation last summer, I captured a crystal-clear image of a yellow house reflected in the canal. When I edited the photo, I cropped the majority of the land portion of the house to emphasize the outstanding reflection. I received favorable comments whenever I posted my photo online, but I also received comments stating I should have included the source of the reflection in the photo—the house itself. One comment especially resonated with me. “The reflection is the hero, but without the source, it’s not as powerful.”
Many houses reflected in the canal that evening, but the element that made this one outstanding was the angle of the sun. I snapped the photo during the golden hour—the last hour before sunset—the hour when the sun’s rays bring ordinary objects to life with a golden glow. The water mirrored the house above it, but without its remarkable light source, the photo would’ve lost its impact.
God created us in His image, but we were born into a fallen world and possess a sinful nature. If we confess our sin and invite Jesus to be our Savior, He forgives us. From that moment forward, as we devote time to Bible study and prayer, our lives take on the characteristics of Christ. The more time we invest, the more we grow spiritually—and the more accurate the reflection of Christ in us becomes.
The mirrored image of the yellow house caught my attention that evening, but when my eyes moved upward, I saw the actual house. This made me think about how others respond when they see the image of Christ in me. Do their eyes travel upward to the origin of the reflection—the light of Jesus Christ?
We either mirror the characteristics of our heavenly Father or those of a fallen world. The image we reflect may be the hero, but without Christ as our light source, it loses its power.
Ask God to let the likeness of Christ in you inspire others to look heavenward and see your Savior, Jesus Christ.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Starr Ayers is a third-generation artist, writer, and speaker. The mother of a daughter with Down syndrome, her heart is to encourage the acceptance of those with life-challenging disabilities and to inspire others to embrace their own uniqueness in Christ. Starr is a contributor to the book Hopelifter: Creative Ways to Spread Hope When Life Hurts and is published monthly in Thrive magazine. Connect with Starr at http://bringinglifeintofocus2.blogspot.com, or starrayers@triad.rr.com.