I was on my second day of a 2 day subbing job when a student came up to me and curiously asked if I was related to "so & so". I said, "well yes, she is my cousin!"
She smiled a huge smile and said, "I thought so because during the first day of subbing I kept thinking that I knew that voice and that you looked so familiar. When I went home I said to my Mom that the sub reminded me of "so & so! Now, I finally got up the courage to ask."
This conversation made me smile and think about the previous weekend where I met up with my Uncle who was visiting from Ontario. I haven't seen him in quite a while. He was in Winnipeg to perform at an event with my Mom and step Dad. I grew up loving this Uncle dearly. His daughter and I were good friends and played together well. We exchanged sleepover visits and we even did some holidaying together. This past weekend I felt like a grown up with a child like affection for him. I just wanted to be near him and talk to him and find out how he and his family were doing. I think I followed him around like a magnet!
When I think of different sides of my family, each name carries with it certain characteristics. Maybe you have found the same to be true? Some we want to be identified with- like with my cousin, and some we work hard at changing.
We are image bearers. God made us that way - in His image. He has given us the choice to bear that image or not. As well, God has given us the power through the Holy Spirit to display God in our lives (2 Cor. 4:7).
Over the years I have become more and more convinced that I won't waste any time working at being intentional about the image that I want to bear personally as well as the image I want our family to bear. There is far too much at stake not to be intentional - namely my selfish nature's tendency to take over.
There is a kids song with a chorus that has lyrics that resonate with the sentiment of the last statement;
Someone tell me, tell me why I -
Do what I do when I don't want to do it?
Say what I say when i don't want to say it?
Feel what I feel when I don't want to feel it?
Somebody tell me, somebody tell me...
The song goes on to say;
In everything I do
In everything I say
I wanna give you the latitude
To show me the way
...really cute song.
Colossians 3 speaks well of our need to replace our earthly nature with a renewed Christlike self. Here are some snippets from the NIV. Look it up for the full impact.
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above...Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things...Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature...You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things a these...Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator...Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
It amazes me that we have influence over family members and friends whether we want to or not. I pray that our families will be marked with the image of our creator as we strive to know and follow hard after Him.
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