By Marilyn Ehle
“Christ in you.” Colossians 1:27
“You have your grandmothers’ eyes.”
“You act just like your uncle.”
If your grandmother was a sweet soul whose eyes saw beauty in the world and goodness in each person, you are pleased to have her eyes. However, if your uncle made foolish decisions or talked incessantly of his own accomplishments, you cringe to think you may be like him. We are grateful when genes filter down through generations producing positive results. But we flinch in dismay when the “inheritance” surfaces in ways that are socially unacceptable or reveal selfish attitudes.
Jesus once told a very good and religious man that he needed to be “born again.” His human genes simply weren’t good enough for acceptance into the family of God. Once we have invited Christ to re-create us, to forgive us for stubbornly believing we can please God because of our own merits, God steps in to make everything new. “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Increasingly we begin to take on the new family resemblance.
When Christ is in us and we consistently allow Him to produce His characteristics in our lives, we just may hear someone say, “You look just like Jesus!”
Thank you, Father, for making this new life available through faith in Your son, Jesus Christ. Help me to look more and more like You as I submit to Your new work in my life. Amen.
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