Have you ever looked in the mirror and not recognized the person looking back at you? I’m not talking about that “Wow, I look old today” moment. Of course you always recognize yourself! I don’t stand there trying to figure out who that person is looking back at me; I recognize me because I know me. I can describe “me” probably better than anyone else because I know everything about me. Oh, I may not be willing to share everything with someone else, but deep down, I know my strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else.

As Christians, we must be reflecting Christ in the mirror of our lives. When others look at us they MUST see Jesus. We know that we love Him and we know that we want to spend eternity with Him, but are we striving to look like Him? To look like Him, we must KNOW what He looks like! (And I’m not talking about that blonde haired, blue-eyed Jesus we see in all of the “pictures”).

So to look like Jesus we MUST get to know Him. And if we are going to get to know Him, we MUST be in the Word. If I want to learn about Abraham Lincoln, I can’t just sit there and be “filled” with knowledge of Abraham Lincoln. I have to read about him. I have to study about him. The same thought applies to getting to know about Jesus. I have to be reading about Him, and studying about Him to get to know Him. Your depth of relationship with Him will totally rely on how well you know Him.

I suggest you start an in-depth study of Jesus by studying the gospel of John. Look at Jesus through the eyes of the one that Jesus called “beloved.”

John starts in chapter 1 verse 14 with, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” We see that Jesus is “the Word” so what better way to know Him than to be in “the Word”? It brings a whole new thought to the phrase “being in the Word.” If we are “in Christ,” we are “in the Word.” There can be NO exception.

In John 5:38-42, Jesus tells the Jews that are persecuting Him that they don’t have God’s word abiding in them. He goes on in verses 39-42 and says, “You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life. I do not receive glory from men; but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves” (John 5:38-42).

As Christians, we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and we know that our salvation lies in Him; therefore, we are a step ahead of these Jews. But is that the depth of our relationship with Him? Did we search the scriptures deep enough to find salvation and stop? Have we truly “come to Jesus,” meaning to STRIVE to be like Him? He goes on inJohn 8:31, 32, “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” So we know to truly be His and to be like Him we MUST abide in the Word!

Jesus gives us another “how to” in John 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” He is telling us how to be recognized as one of His– as one who has Christ dwelling in her. The world today does not understand what “true love” is and only through Jesus Christ can we show them. When we are the people, the truly loving people that we were intended to be, we will pull others to Jesus. We will do that because when they look up to see us, they will see the reflection of our Lord and Savior.

The next time you look at your reflection in the mirror, don’t worry about the wrinkles and the blemishes; look deeper. Can you see Jesus looking back at you? If not, why not? Get in the Word! Get to KNOW Him so that others will see Jesus when they look at you!

By Tami Roberts
Tami is the main person responsible for all the wonders of the CFYC Spiritual Development Retreat. She and her husband, Wayne, serve with the Parker church of Christ* in Parker, CO. Wayne serves as the minister and evangelist. Tami and Wayne are both instructors for the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver. They have been married for 30 years, have five children and three grandchildren. More than anything, they enjoy spending time with God’s people.

* Editor’s note: There are some excellent podcasts available on the Parker church of Christ site. Be sure to download a few and listen (click here).