Do they see Jesus in me?

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So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognise what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:2 (MSG)

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One morning this week, I was up early enough to go for coffee before University. As I waited to collect my coffee, I looked back down the queue and saw other coffee lovers making the decision of what coffee to have. I was amused by the faces people pulled whilst deciding which coffee to have. A middle-aged man, in a business suit asked, without hesitation, for an espresso shot to-go. The next person in the queue, a younger woman, book-in-hand, was at great pains to decide which coffee she wanted. The queue behind her getting increasingly frustrated, people looking at watches, tapping feet, and shooting daggers into the back of her head. Being able to empathise, I could see that the annoyance of others just made the decision even more difficult. Feeling the pressure, she buckled and finally decided on a latte. I smiled to myself, seeing that in such a short period of time, so much ‘life’ had happened. My coffee was ready, and I went to sit down and enjoy my coffee. As I sat there, I was fascinated to see the queue, and the world outside. Everyone was so busy, heads in their phones, some more irritated than others.

One of the bits of advice in photography, is to turn around and look up. By doing so, you might see something that is equally beautiful to photograph, and as I just sat there, I wondered how different our world would be if we just turned around and looked up. How different that queue for coffee could have been. If only we took the time to appreciate what was around us, maybe look up and start a conversation. I wonder how many lives could be changed by just the odd Christian in the crowd who reflected a bit of Jesus?

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Do I show in the way that I walk in my life The love that You've shown me?

Do They See Jesus In Me? - Joy Williams (Pete Carlson & Amy Roth)

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In Romans we see how we are called to live our lives. The Message translation offers a helpful insight to the way we should live that is relatable. Whilst there is many things to take from just these two verses, I find three things that I can take away. Firstly, we have to, as followers of Christ, take everything, everyday before the Lord in worship. It isn't about Sundays, it is about taking our 'everyday, ordinary' lives and living them for Him. Secondly, it would be easy to, but don't conform to the world around you. As Christians we are called to be in the world, but not of it. This isn't easy, especially when we have pressures from those around us. But then, thirdly, take heart from the strength He provides. We are told that God will help us. It is in His strength alone that we can live out the calling we have. When we respond to God's call, to place our ordinary, everyday lives before him, that is when people will begin to see Jesus in what we do. I wonder, this week, will you turn around and look up? Will people see Jesus through you?

Reflect today: How can I be more like Jesus? What can I do this week so that people see Jesus in me? Is your whole life worship to Him? Or are you more comfortable to only do worship once a week, when we go to Church?

It's amazing that You'd ever use me But use me the way You will Help me to hold out a heart of compassionate grace A heart that You're spirit fills May I show forgiveness and mercy The same way you've shown it to me

Now I want to show all the world who You are The reason I live and breathe So You'll be the One that they see When they see me

Amen

(Selected verses from Joy Williams' song "Do They See Jesus In Me?)