Your Reflection

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

How well do you reflect Jesus?

Does your face reflect His love?

Do your actions replicate His compassion?

Do your words reflect His leadership, wisdom, and grace?

This morning as I looked out my large back window, I noticed something.

Overlooking a large space, I can see for over a mile.

On the horizon was a brilliant burst of sunlight.

Blinding almost.

It was twinkling, extending its rays like when you look at the sun.

But it was tiny as it was far away.

My first thought was, “Oh, the sun is peeking up.”

But immediately I dismissed that thought because the sun rises on the other side of my house!

Then I realized what I was looking at.

A reflection.

A brilliant reflection of the sun.

The sun was hitting this spot just perfectly, lighting it up as if it were the sun.

Which made me wonder about us.

How brilliantly do we reflect Jesus?

When we are selfish, we don’t shine.

When we surround ourselves with misery, we don’t shine.

Walking with self-pity, we certainly don’t shine either.

And when we cling to fear, rejection, and despair, we are pretty dull as well.

Purpose again to praise God especially when walking life’s troubled road.

Trust God when you cannot see the road or even when you can.

Let your light shine so others may see Jesus.

Reflect Him so well, others cannot help but bow their knee to the One who created all things.

Photos by Ivana CajinaJonathan BorbaJosh Boot, & Oscar Ivan Esquivel Arteaga on Unsplash

Greatness

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders that He has done. Psalm 78:4

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Greatness does not lay in the office one holds.

Greatness does not exist in the way a person looks or what one possesses.

Greatness pours from character.

Excellent character.

Character that produces servant leadership, stirring the will to follow, bringing others alongside.

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Greatness does not exist apart from God.

Apart from God, we are not great.

Humans can do good things, yes, but on our own strength, our good things fall flat.

Flat as a pancake.

Greatness lies within all of us.

It’s there, waiting for God to call it forth.

Sometimes, God calls it out of us, asking us to walk on higher ground.

To walk above it all, carrying others alongside.

In order to be used by God,

In order to be called into greatness, we must submit ourselves to Himself.

Submit ourselves to His will for us.

Not think of ourselves first and foremost.

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Coming from DC last week, George Washington comes to mind.

His humble servant heart was called into greatness by God.

God used him to orchestrate our great country.

Think of the consequences if Washington had said no to God.

Had instead secured himself into the safety of Mt. Vernon.

What would our country be like today?

Would America even exist?

Submit yourself to God and see where He takes you.

Even if it’s influencing your immediate world, His greatness will be noticed.

The greatness God wants to call you into may or may not rise to the level of our founding fathers, Billy Graham, or Amy Carmichael.

But it just might.

Photos by AMY MECHAM on Unsplash