Seeing Christ in the Pixels

Don't act like a Christian.

Act like Christ.

I love photographs. Old photographs that bring the past to life. New photographs that record moments to be remembered at a later time --  by both me and future generations. Emily took a picture of Landon taking me for a four-wheeler ride.  It wasn't until I downloaded the images that I saw the pure delight on Landon's face. It's a photograph I will treasure.

My photographs today are much clearer than those of years gone by. Digital cameras are packed with more pixels per inch, creating a better quality photograph. So it is with my life. When I try to get by without living like Christ in every square inch of my life, the image that others see of me becomes blurry and Jesus cannot be clearly seen. 

Pixels of joy, peace and patience. Pixels that love the unlovely, embrace the hard and live unselfishly. Pixels that put others first -- always. 

It's not always easy. And it's certainly not always fun. But easy and fun isn't what Jesus lived while on earth. His life was a clear image of His Heavenly Father, just as ours must be a clear image of His. 

I cringe when I hear excuses for poor attitudes, selfish decisions and sinful actions. The enemy rejoices when we portray a blurry image of Christ. He dances down the news feed on Facebook. He sings a jaunty tune of victory when he sees professed Christians rejoice at the pain of others or sees the jealousy when joy comes. 

Charles Wesley wrote a hymn that God often brings to my mind when temptations come:

I want a principle within
Of jealous, godly fear,
A sensibility of sin,
A pain to feel it near.
I want the first approach to feel
Of pride or fond desire,
To catch the wand’ring of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.

Almighty God of truth and love,
To me Thy pow’r impart;
The mountain from my soul remove,
The hardness from my heart.
Oh, may the least omission pain
My reawakened soul,
And drive me to that blood again,
Which makes the wounded whole.

I still don't get it right all the time. I'm defeated when my selfishness causes me to speak spiteful and unkind words, and when the image of Christ becomes blurry to others as they look at my life. It is then I can stand toe to toe with the cross. The blood of Jesus still covers sins. His grace (yes, that amazing grace!) still saves. 

And that, dear friends, is the image that is framed and hung on the wall of my heart. Grace through the blood stained cross, covering me -- so that I reflect the image of Christ.

Linked to:

Soli Deo Gloria

Titus 2sDay

Wise Women
Whole-Hearted Wednesday