Who Do You Look Like?
Remember the fun-house mirrors in amusement parks of days gone by? We could look taller, fatter, have different proportions. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Americans spent over $16.5 billion in 2018 to change the way they looked. With over 8,000 member surgeons, that’s somewhere around $2 million for each. I’m in the wrong business.
Why are we so willing
to spend out-of-pocket dollars on that elusive goal of eternal youth? Simple. We’ve made beauty a god. I can understand that. With some exceptions, there aren’t many ugly people on the big screen or in spokesperson ads. I don’t know what the Apostle Paul looked like. Scripture tells us, “…his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible” (2 Cor. 10:10), but I do know his character. It was one of being totally sold out for Jesus. And that’s why he can say, “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1)
What would it take
to shift our focus from how we look to how we act? The most important element would be to have the right role model. There are so many to choose from today. Movie stars. Sports figures. And, heaven forbid, politicians. Why can Paul say that we should imitate him? Because he sets the bar for who to imitate. Before you choose anybody to copy, ask yourself this: “If I follow them all the way, where do I end up? Are they on the wide or narrow path that Jesus described? (Matt. 7:13,14)”
Do you know
what path you’re on? Have you considered the consequences of the wrong path? They are both labeled “heaven.” But only one is correct. The wide path, with many on it, is filled with shiny objects—things that distract us from the fact we’re on the wrong path. What’s your plan to get to the end? It’s been said that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. One of the biggest enemies of planning and thinking about our future is noise. Look around. Almost everybody has something plugged into their ears. Constant noise doesn’t allow us to think, to meditate, to silently praise God for another day.
When you look in the mirror
of God’s Word, do you like what you see? If you’re a sinner saved by grace and faith in Jesus Christ, then in spite of your warts and (perceived) flaws, God sees you as perfect. By the way, His is the only standard that matters. No standard the world compares you to has any validity. Iconic vocalist, Ethel Waters (1896-1977), coined the phrase, “I am somebody cause God don’t make no junk!”
If you’re being pulled by the sirens of society to a path you feel is wrong and you want to shift your focus from “look” to “act,” visit our Steps to Salvation page. It lays out a step by step plan that clearly shows the ONLY way to a permanent relationship with the God who loves you and His Son, Jesus Christ. Thanks for coming by.