July 18, 2023 – 2 Corinthians 2:5-3:18
Have you ever had an old car or maybe an old wood table that was destined for the trash heap, but you saw potential in it? Maybe someone tried to tell you you should throw them out – they were no good. But you saw that with a little love and tenderness, you could pour into it and make it look brand new. Refurbished things have the most character and have been given a new lease on life. They add value to someone’s life. They are restored to a condition even better than new. And those who thought it was trash are just amazed they could ever be that nice again.
I remember when I first got into recovery and became a follower of Christ, many people couldn’t believe who I had become. They still remembered that girl who was lost and broken. They had no idea what to expect from me. In fact, some boating friends of mine wouldn’t even ask me to go boating with them anymore because they were thinking I was just going to sit there and pray all day on the boat! You see, they had a hard time understanding what a true follower of Christ looked like. And it is possible I didn’t know I had any authority to tell them what a follower of Christ looks like.
I know now that I do have the authority and maybe even a responsibility to let people know what a follower of Christ is, does, and looks like. I have been given the authority because of what Christ has done for me through his grace and love. I can tell you this… when we surrender our hurts, habits, and hangups to God and let him have full control of our life, we are filled with the Spirit. Then, we are free to have the Spirit lead our lives. We are no longer blind to what Christ can do in our life and we can share that freedom with everyone we see. I love being refurbished. It is truly a new lease on life.
Questions for reflection:
- Have you ever felt like you were maybe a little too far gone for you to be “refurbished?”
- Do you know anyone who doesn’t understand your walk with the Lord?
- How free do you feel to share the good things God has done in your life?
- How do you reflect God’s light onto others?