Pastor’s Corner: “Reflectors of Glory”
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) – 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
Growing up, by outward appearances it was difficult to tell that my brother and I were related. On top of that, neither one of looked like our dad. None of us shared any physical features or mannerisms. But my brother and I are finding the older we get, the more we look and behaved like our dad. Sometimes I shock myself when I look in the mirror and I see my dad’s face, his smile, or hear his voice when I talk. From our walk to our talk we are both starting to reflect him.
When we reflect something, we are exhibiting its likeness. We are displaying its characteristics. Like a mirror, the Bible tells us that we should reflect the character and likeness of Jesus. We should have His same walk and talk. That may sound impossible; after all, Jesus was the Son of God. But remember, when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, the Bible says, “we become sons and daughters of God,” too. We become empowered by the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. That means we have the same power, the same spirit of humility, the same strength, and the same love on the inside. We are equipped to do what He did.
When we look at a full moon, we notice that it can make the landscape shine almost like daytime. As you walk around you can see great distances, and you can see trees and sidewalks and flowers all in the middle of the night by moonlight! But did you know that, in a way, there is no such thing as moonlight? Because moonlight doesn’t come from the moon-it comes from the sun! The light we see on a moonlit night is actually sunlight that bounces off the moon and shines down onto the earth. Like the moon, we are called to reflect the light of the Son (sun).
Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) – 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
We live in interesting times, facing unprecedented challenges. We’re surrounded by the darkness of hate and prejudice, and it feels like it gets stronger every day, while we get weaker. But God didn’t rescue you from darkness so you can condemn others to it. We are called into His light to reflect and show the world how good He is. Our world needs the light of the Gospel now more than ever before. Without this light, they stumble in the darkness, looking for meaning. They need to know Jesus. But we have the light. In fact, we are the light. Today, people all around you need the Gospel. Don’t let them stay in darkness. Let your light shine. How we interact with others matters. It will make a difference in their ability to see Christ in us. Let’s focus on God’s goodness. Let’s share stories of how He has been faithful when we weren’t. Let’s tell others about how God provided for us when we had no hope. Let’s shout from the rooftops with joy that we have a future, and it’s good!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton