By: Andrea Sanger
I admit my mind was wandering during Bible Study, but what happened was purely a God moment.
As I looked down at the table, I saw a reflection of my friend’s arm and took a picture of it. It got me thinking about how each of us imposes a reflection on the world around us, even if we are not aware of it. Then, I started thinking about a Bible Study I did years ago – it was about taming the tongue from Proverbs 27:19 (English Standard Version – ESV): “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.” It forced me to think about what my heart was reflecting through the words I choose to use. Often it is not great – that is why I love writing – I have time to edit before my thoughts become public. I’ve started challenging myself again to search my heart for what is really in there so that it is appropriately reflected through my words.
Back to the current Bible Study, we were studying Matthew 8:23-27 where Jesus calms the storm. Again, I was distracted as the reflection on my friend’s phone profoundly spoke to me. There she was reading “Jesus Calms the Storm” as a calm and serene outdoor sky reflected onto her screen. It was as if God was showing me that He is reflected in the world around us through His Word. We will see those reflections in it if our perspective is right. In this instance, God was also showing me that Jesus exhibited calm in his whole body by sleeping in the middle of the storm, even though the disciples couldn’t see it from their perspective.
How many times do I miss what God is trying to show me because I am out of position or just looking at what is right in front of me? How many times does my heart falter like the disciples because I’m focused on me instead of the reflection God is casting on and around me? How many times do I reflect onto the world something that is not helpful or uplifting? I want my body and words to reflect Christ’s influence in my life. How about you?
