Beholding We Become Mirrors

It’s difficult to keep up with OC. I would like to say that each morning I can review his thoughts for the day and summarize them. It doesn’t sound that complicated; but it is. At best, I can grab one fragment of his musings and comment on it. If you’re not receiving a copy of his entire daily devotional, let me know. If you are not trying to absorb it yourself, you are missing something.
I grab these words today: “By being filled with the Spirit we are transformed, and by beholding we become mirrors.” I know that ideally when someone looks at me, they should see Jesus. It’s hard for me to imagine that anyone ever does. I guess the problem is sometimes I try to be like Jesus and for all the admirable effort, failure is guaranteed. Rarely I realize that trying isn’t going to do it. The only way to be a mirror of our Lord is by beholding Him.
I know I need to stop trying and focus on beholding. It’s just so much easier to try by doing things. I can be kind. I can assist. Sometimes I can even forgive. When I do these things, I can feel a bit “Christ Like.” But in the doing, others don’t see Jesus. They see me . . . trying.
It is daunting to consider that even though a mirror just reflects; a really good mirror reflects nearly perfectly. We do well if we are even a cloudy reflection of Him.
I think that one reason beholding is so difficult is that it requires complete concentration and I am easily distracted.
The middle of last night found me, my wife and my daughter wide awake sitting in a darkened living room analyzing why we weren’t sleeping. The bottom line is that we are easily distracted. Allison commented that she missed her dark quiet room at home. She needs that darkness and quiet to sleep. Why? Because she is easily distracted. Our home, with which she is very familiar, was still foreign enough to her that it distracted.
If we are to reflect our Lord, we need to seek and secure our own quiet, dark place…that place without distraction. I speak not just entirely of a physical place; but that place in our spirit where there is nothing but Jesus and beholding and reflection can happen.
Last night my wife warned my daughter that if she wasn’t careful, she would find herself on Nick’s Walk.
It is really distracting when your wife is right. I can only get some measure of revenge by including her as well.
Rosemary, Gotcha!
Be still, behold and
Be blessed.
Nick