A Snapshot of Jesus

Say Cheese!! We've all heard those famous words right before somebody snapped our beautiful picture, right? Most of the time when somebody takes a picture of me I hate it! My hair's not right, I look too old, too fat, or my eyes or closed or something. It usually doesn't end up with me being happy needless to say.

I was thinking about my picture being taken the other day and it made me think of something. If somebody were to take a picture of me right now what would it look like. In our Christian walk we encounter many opportunities to be Jesus to somebody and show His love, but what if somebody could take a picture of us and actually capture the image of Jesus himself. The image would not reflect our outward appearance but Jesus who lives in us.

A while back, after posting something on my Facebook that wasn't very Christian like, if somebody would have taken my picture they would have seen something that looked nothing like Jesus. It would have looked like a black hole full of anger, resentment, and just plain old the devil! That doesn't sound or look like to Jesus to me. Galatians 5:22-26 states, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." This convicts me to be in the Spirit more so that I can be a reflection of Jesus even on those occasions where I feel I may have been wronged.

Billy and I were talking the other night about a few experiences that got us "in the flesh" (as my Pastor likes to say) this week . We get so angry and we don't understand why people act the way they do and then we get convicted because we remember, Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Jesus was crucified for our sins, for your sins, and for my sins. There is no little or big sin in the eyes of God, it is all SIN.

Think about it!

What would your snapshot look like right now? Would it resemble Jesus? Do you categorize sin and think that your sin fails in comparison to others sins? Are you crucifying Jesus with your fleshly lifestyle? What changes can you make to be in the Spirit?