When the sun drifted into the western sky this evening and the shadows grew long suddenly the golden leaves out my window became tiny suns. They were beautiful on their own but when illuminated they became incredible spheres of fire. Those leaves were just like people who are lovely on their own but become splendid illuminations when they meet Jesus. It makes them more beautiful than anyone ever chosen as the most beautiful woman or handsome man in the world.
Letting Jesus light up one’s life adds luster to one’s natural gifts. Saul was a bright young Jewish attorney admitted to the prestige of the Sanhedrin. He would have been a footnote in history. But after his Damascus Road experience he became Paul and changed the course of history. The Gospel writers told us of Jesus’ life, death and miracles but in Romans, Galatians and Ephesians Paul told us what it all meant.
Peter and John were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee and would not have been footnotes in history. Because they met Jesus there are great cathedrals named after them. Zacchaeus was a small town tax collector hated by his neighbors. He met Jesus and now our children sing a song about him.
What about us? What are we and what will we become after letting Jesus shine from our lives? John says it so well in I John 3, “Now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
You better go look in the mirror so you can remember the old you because the new you will be splendid, marvelous, beautiful, intelligent and eternal!
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 7, 2014
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