Reflecting Jesus

“...you have stripped off the old self with its practices  and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator." (Colossians 3:9b-10)

Nearly every year over the past 25 years, my family has vacationed to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. There’s something about the majesty of the mountains, the breath-taking rigors (literally) of high altitude hiking, and the cool mountain air that draws us back year after year. 

That, and the fact that my family has a cabin out there. Can you blame us for wanting to wake up to this view every morning?

One of the things that we enjoy is going to some of the lakes in the park. Some of them are hiking destinations, but a few are lakes to which people can drive, park, and simply walk around the perimeter. We like to go in the early morning or the late afternoon, when the masses of people aren’t there. 

I love taking pictures of mountain landscape reflections in the lakes. It’s as if simply appreciating the mountain view isn’t enough – with the reflection, we get double the beauty.

Of course, if there are clouds, or if it’s windy, or if someone throws a rock into the lake, then the reflection isn’t as good. 

But every once in a while – usually around sunrise and just before sunset – the water is as smooth as glass. Here’s one of my favorites:

The reflection in this one is so good, you may not have realized that the picture is actually upside down!

All this discussion about reflections has given me pause to reflect: How well do I (we) reflect the grace, mercy, love, and glory of Jesus in my (our) life? I mean, as one who follows Jesus, shouldn’t people see something of Jesus in me? And if I’m more and more intentional about living like Jesus, shouldn’t my life reflect Jesus more and more?

As it says in Genesis,

“Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness’… So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26a, 27)

Of course, the image of God in us was corrupted by our sin. But it’s still there, and we should still be able to reflect something of that in our lives. And the truth is, Christ has redeemed us and made us into new creations; so we should be able to manifest more and more of Jesus in our lives.

Not long ago I was reading a book by a guy named Scott Sauls. (The book is Jesus Outside the Lines, and it’s about looking for ways that Christ-followers can relate to one another respectfully when everyone else is demanding that we choose sides and vilify anyone who is not on “our side”). In the book, he said this: “Even though all fall short, there is still a lot of truth, beauty, and goodness that come into the world through the people of Jesus. None reflect Christ perfectly, but many reflect him still.” (p. 123)

“None reflect Christ perfectly, but many reflect him still...” I agree. Completely.

I think one of the things I need to do (and you do as well, if you’re honest), is look at things that blur the image of Christ in me. What are the “gusts of wind,” or the “cloudy skies,” or the “stone thrown into the lake,” that distort what people will see of Jesus when they see me? 

Paul (you know, the guy who wrote most of the New Testament) says, “...you have stripped off the old self with its practices  and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.” Right before he says this, he lists some of the “old self” that distorts the image in which we are created, including sexual immorality, impurity, lust, greed, anger, malice, filthy language, lying, and some other things.

I confess: I have lusted (but so did Jimmy Carter, and he was President); I get angry; I mutter under my breath, and I’m not saying “golly gee”. And I’ve done a lot of other things that the Bible says I shouldn’t do.

And so have you. All of us have.

I don’t want to dwell on those things, though. I simply want to say that any of these things, when we manifest them in our lives, put a blemish on the image of Jesus Christ. And I don’t want to tarnish Jesus, not if I can help it. In this life, I’ll never be able to reflect Christ perfectly; none of us will. But my prayer is that I can, through my life, offer others more and more of the goodness, beauty, and love of Jesus.

I hope I can do that, every day.

Butterflies and Faith, Part 3

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…” (Revelation 7:9)

Jesus said, “ I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven...” (Matthew 8:11)

Have I told you that I love butterflies? Of course I have.

Have I told you that butterflies reflect some wonderful things about my faith? Of course I have.

Have I told you that butterflies remind me of new life? Or that the level of detail on butterflies reminds me that each of us, too, is a masterpiece created by God? Of course I have.

So let me tell another way that butterflies provide me with insight into my faith in God: the sheer variety of butterflies is mind-boggling.Scientifically, butterflies are part of the large order, “Lepidoptera,” which includes numerous subgroups; and all lepidoptera share a basic common anatomy (e.g., antennae, three-part body, compound eyes, forewings, hindwings, proboscis, etc), and so on a certain level they are the same. But scientific categories aside, I marvel at the diversity of butterflies (and moths -- they, too, fascinate me, at least when they're not eating my sweaters): size, color, shape, body characteristics, wing design… It really is amazing.

I have kept a list of the kinds butterflies and moths that I have spotted in my backyard in the past five months alone; I have chronicled 26 different kinds (If you want, send me a message on Facebook or Instagram (@revshw), and I will provide you with the detailed list). 

Every variety is beautiful and fascinating. Every variety.

It makes me wonder, If I am amazed at the sheer variety of butterflies (and moths), and I marvel at the diversity I see, then why do I consider the diversity of God’s human creation differently? Why do I look with suspicion at humans who are unfamiliar to me, or who have different skin color, or who are shaped differently than what we might consider to be “normal”?

Shouldn’t I look at every different human being and rejoice at the inherent beauty? Of course I should. So should you. All of us should.

My appreciation for the variety of butterflies reminds me that I need to appreciate the diversity of human beings that inhabit the earth. After all, not only do we have the same basic anatomical and biological characteristics, but even more, we’re all created in the image of God.

Jesus said, “Many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.” When he said that, he was driving home the point that citizenship in the kingdom is larger than most of us thinks it is; it includes us, but it includes way more than us. It even includes people you and I might think unworthy of being in the kingdom.

In the Revelation of John, John is given a vision (presumably by God) of every nation, and all tribes, peoples and languages. As the little children’s song reminds us, “Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in His sight.”

And if they are precious in the sight of our Lord, shouldn’t they be precious in our sight, as well?

When it comes to appreciating and valuing the sheer diversity that we find in the human race, I know I can do better.

We can do better.

We have to do better.