Skip to main content

The Reflection In The Mirror

 ethos noun

: the distinguishing character, sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a person, group, or institution.

Synonyms for ethos:
ethics, morality, morals, norms, principles, standards
- Merriam-Webster

At the center of every human being, behind every emotion, bias, desire or habit, there's a core foundation - a set of basic principles that tend to guide everything else in that person's life. A wise person will periodically walk their responses and reactions to life back to determine where and what their foundation is and whether those reactions and responses are honoring what they claim to hold true of themselves at their core. 

It's an examination of one's own true face - one that God can see clearly without any possibility of our self employed deception, cloudiness or distortion. It's who we truly are. I've been forced to do it many times in an effort to be honest with myself about who I am, where I'm standing and where I'm headed. I've not always liked what I've seen, but the exercise has given me the motivation to work to change and to set some personal goals for growth toward a particular image - an ethos without blemishes or defect. That ethos? The ethics, morality, morals, norms, principles, and standards of Jesus Christ - HIS distinguishing character.

I don't believe that we can achieve real progress toward that image without His help or that it will come without real effort and sincerity on our part. I also believe however, that God is always waiting to partner with us in that effort and that as we walk forward through this life in true and active relationship with Him, we find ourselves changed. It's the continuing process of sanctification.

Like anyone else, I still have a long way to go to achieve my goal of seeing Christ's perfect image in the mirror, but being actively partnered with Jesus, I know with great gratitude that when Father God looks at me - He sees Jesus. And being in loving partnership with my Savior brings a strong desire to be pleasing to Him, which brings continually stronger motivation toward the changes needed to reflect the image that I desire to see when I look in that mirror - His.

We're none of us perfect - As we endeavor to follow Christ and walk with Him we'll recognize that and discover more about ourselves than we ever knew - but it's not condemnation we experience from Him. It's a continual invitation to better reflect His image - one most pleasing and precious in Father God's sight. So as He reveals things to us about ourselves we need to actively engage with Him in His effort to work in us and to be courageous and happy - He's doing good things!


"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This "Christ"mas...

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:8-14 (NKJ) As "Christ"mas approaches it usually finds me refreshing my knowledge and understanding of what I believe that it is that we as "Christ"ians should be celebrating in our observation of the event of Christ's birth. I do this in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

If I Worry At All...

For the last year I've been engaged in a writing project that requires me to answer a series of questions posed over the fifty two weeks of the year. My answer to the last question that I chose to answer is one that I decided to share because it's always on my heart and mind... What do you worry about? I know that worrying itself changes nothing but there are some things that cause me deep worry. And of those particular things, there are none that I have the power to change on my own, but they are instead those that I have to appeal to Christ’s mercy to intercede. I have deep worry for the souls of all of my loved ones because I know that despite all that we might find concern for in our passing through of this world, there’s only one account that will, for all time, require an answer from all of us. That response, having already been made while we journeyed here, will leave us without further opportunity to answer. Our choice, made in this current life, will leave us either pr...
Post a Comment
Read more

An Observance And Observing True Reality...

As Easter approaches, I begin once again considering how our God sees our observance of an occasion as I always do and also what He might truly desire of us in observance above any of our trivial, man inspired traditions . What I come away with in firm conviction is the understanding that the most trivial of my sins, the least of my crimes against God, had the power to forever damn me in His judgment of me and send me into unending torment. And that knowing this one thing in truth and as reality, is key to my correct posture before God in honor of His purpose in the event. That key being the horror of knowing that the price of my very least sin was the shedding of my Christ Jesus' blood and His horrible suffering, because the reality of this brings the deep rending of my heart in awe and gratitude and it makes possible my true joy at the relief of my sentence because of what He has done. I believe this is a part of what God would desire from us in observance of Christ's death a...
Post a Comment
Read more