who are we reflecting?

Hebrews 1:3 MSG

This Son perfectly mirrors God, and is stamped with God's nature. He holds everything together by what he says-powerful words! The Son Is Higher than Angels

As my son gets older, I am noticing more and more what he is like.  That is, what he likes, how he acts, what fires him up and often how he reflects or acts like his mom or dad.

Sometimes that is cool.  Sometimes it is not.  I look over at my wife and ask the question, "Where did he learn that?" when he says something off color or the like.  Then we have to be honest and say he learned it from me or somewhere else we allowed him to be.

A child often reflects his parents.  It is not that they are simply a reflection of what we are or how we live.  Often we think that we have to get our kids to act right just so it reflects well on us as their parents.

Honestly, I am more concerned about my kids reflecting the greatness of God than I am about them being a poor reflection on their parents.

The verse above says that Jesus perfectly mirrors his Father.  He represented and was like God.  His goal and purpose was to point people to the Father.  So what Jesus said and did was so people would see God.  He was a reflection of His father.

I sat next to my boy one Sunday watching the NASCAR race here in Martinsville.  We were about 50 rows up from the ½ mile track, best track on the circuit known is Martinsville Speedway.  His eyes would light up as his favorite driver came around the curve or passed another driver to move toward the front of the race.  It was so awesome to sit there next to my son watching the race.

There has to be so much to being a reflection than what we understand.  Do my actions point people to God?  Do my words speak what I really believe or do they make others question?

May my life and yours, may my word and my actions be a reflection of who God is and what He is like.  If we aim at nothing, we will hit it every time.  Let's aim at being like Jesus!  Let's reflect the Father more than we ever have before.

1 John 4:17 NLT

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

NOTE: much of this post was first shared in November of 2011