REFLECTING JESUS

Soaking up views of God’s beautiful creation near bodies of water is a favorite pastime of mine.  We are taking advantage of the beautiful, sunny weather we have experienced on Sundays this summer to venture to a park of some sort. They involve being near water and a Dairy Queen to help cool down from the hot weather!

One Sunday at a park, the view was just a small body of water with a little fountain and several baseball fields. I found my perfect spot, at a picnic table, and busied myself with some reading material.  I was surprised when, at one point, I looked up to see these geese in the water.

 

 

I enjoyed watching the geese go in the water for a bit, and then walk around the land, and repeat the sequence.  As you can see, there was one who appeared to be the leader.  At one point, they were frolicking and making noise as they were playing in the water, all going under for a bit, and then flapping their wings.

 

 

 

Shortly after that, I noticed some of their feathers floating on the water along with some ripples of the water.  I saw a parallel with our lives.

Imagine the feathers representing a piece of ourselves: a giving of ourselves, our life that influences and touches others.

Each interaction we have has a ripple effect on the next person.  The more we give, the more we gain, the more ripples of influence we can spread.

It was God’s perfect timing to hear a sermon that shared this same sentiment.  As the preacher pointed out, the ripple effects of our lives are a reflection of Christ in us.  The ripples of our lives touch the next person impacting their life, reflecting Jesus back to the world.

 

 

The story of the Samaritan woman who Jesus met at the well, which you can find in John 4:1-42, is an example of the ripple effect our lives can have on others.  While conversing with this woman, Jesus reveals to her He is the Messiah. When the Samaritan woman realizes who she is talking with, we read…

The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”  –John 4:28-29  (NLT)

Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. –John 4:39-41 (NLT)

Jesus touched the Samaritan woman’s life so profoundly that she ran with excitement sharing the Good News of the Messiah with those in her village. The ripple effect of her life touched many, many others who also came to believe because of her testimony. Imagine the continued ripple effect of each of those people’s lives in spreading more of the Good News!

 

                     

Feathers reminding me of the geese~

 

I encourage you this week to actively be conscious of the ways your life can be a reflection of Jesus in this sometimes dark world.

May the Jesus in you reflect from your life traveling to every person you meet, like the feathers from the geese floating along the ripples of the water.

 

So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  –2 Corinthians 3:18  (NLT)

As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.  –Proverbs 27:19  (NLT)