Failing to Shine — The Face of An Angel (Part 1)

What does it mean to reflect God’s glory?

Today I am over the moon happy to share with you my very first guest post on my site. Not only is this the first time to host someone here in my little space, but it is extra special for another reason.

This guest poster is one of my biggest supporters — perhaps THE biggest! No lie. And I’m not just talking about supporting me here on the blog. This woman supports me in life. And she has for many, many years — if I tell you how many I’d be giving away my age. 🙂

She has walked beside me, before me, ahead of me — gosh, she’s always been there. In fact, we spend so much time together that many people think we’re twins!

In fact, this woman IS my sister.

Friends, I am so pleased to introduce you to Carlie, my sister and my friend. I’m sure after reading this you will fall in love with her as well. 

You can read more about Carlie on her blog From Dust towards the Heavens, here. I won’t steal any of her thunder, I’ll just let her speak through her words. I would love to hear what you think in the comments below.

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I wake up to the stench. The smelly odor permeates the whole house and seeps under my skin. I can feel discouragement sinking in. 

 

I walk gingerly out of my room, still not quite prepared for the full onslaught. And there I see them, relaxed – apparently oblivious to the foul smell (left by their pet) and their responsibility to clean it up. 

 

I’m battling hard now – trying to remain calm… to shine, but one ‘off the cuff’ remark from my teen-aged son sends me over the edge. 

 

My voice rises as I vent my frustration, and the real stench sets in. 

 

I retreat to my room and I know.  I know that in that one singular moment I had a choice – a chance to choose God and His glory or me and my desire to wake to a clean, fresh-smelling home in the morning.  And I chose me. 

 

I failed to shine for His glory.

 

My mind wanders to Stephen. 

‘All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.’ (Acts 6:15)

How did he do it?

There Stephen was in the middle of the biggest trial of his life, not just some minor annoyance but terribly unjust persecution… trouble that threatened his very life, yet his face shone like an angel. And rather than defend himself, he shone the spotlight solely on Christ.

 

I’m pretty sure my son did not just witness the face of an angel, nor did he see Christ. No, rather he saw my face contorted in frustration and a selfish desire for me to get what I wanted.  

 

I’ve long thought about the distinguishing marks of those of us who have chosen to follow Christ, who have determined wholeheartedly that true happiness lies in a personal relationship with Christ. 

‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ (John 13:35)

But how do I show that love when I’m pushed up in a dark corner, pressed in by ugly, unlovable people or situations?

You know the times I’m talking about. The crazy-making people in our lives, who despite all our best intentions just seem to rub against our last nerve, sap us of our joy and leave us sulking in the trenches. The ‘I don’t deserve this’ circumstance that just jumped us when we least expected it. You know the ones. They can be minor, grating irritations or major life holocausts, but they drain us… whether drip-by-drip or all in one swallow… they drain us of our hope.

 

For isn’t that what it is. Isn’t it our ‘living hope’ that sets us apart and makes us able and willing to love.  

‘True love for one another flows out of a living and invincible hope in God.’ (John Piper)

 

So, think about it, friends, are we a sweet aroma, drawing others to Christ by the fragrant perfume of our lives or does our stench get in the way? 

 

Are we like Stephen, so full of God’s grace and power, that we just radiate His love? If you’re like me, sometimes – often even – you fail to shine for Christ.

Here are two possible reasons why we sometimes fail to reflect God’s glory.

 

1. We blend into the darkness. 

We are called to make the most of every opportunity to reflect God’s glory, the joy we have in His forgiveness, and our certainty about life and eternity. Every. Opportunity. Not just on bright, sunny days, but on dark, stormy nights as well. 

If we exude love and share hope only when all around is rosy and cheery, shining only in the light, airy places of our lives, what sets us apart from those who are still without the ‘living hope’? Shining our light on a sunny day can be almost indistinguishable, but in the dead of night our lives can be lighthouses to those still groping in the dark. Light shines brightest when the contrast is the greatest.

2. We hide under a bushel. 

We use our personalities, our circumstances, our excuses to hide the light that’s within us. Oh, do I ever have a lot of excuses!

Sometimes, it’s so much easier to run from the struggles of others or to draw inwards, engrossed by my own problems, but glowing in the darkness requires me to reach out, interact with others and build relationships so that God’s light can be shared. God calls us to shine through our darkness and shine into their darkness… to share the reason for our hope with a despairing world and blaze a fiery trail straight to our Saviour’s heart.

‘Let your light shine before others…’ Matthew 5:16a

But how do we do this practically speaking in the day-to-day, moment-by-moment snippets of our lives? How do I respond with gentleness and humility when I’m irritated by ‘things not going my way’? How do I become the ‘beauty’ rather than selfishly desiring it? Is that even possible?

I think it is. God says it is. He knows “what a wretched machine [I am} trying to drive,” and just like with Stephen, He has generously provided me with abundant grace so that [I] may always (under all circumstances) have complete sufficiency in everything, and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

If you’re as convicted as I am of our need to shine brightly in this sin-darkened world, read Part 2 where we’ll uncover simple yet sure-fire ways to glow in the dark places.

 

Reflection: 

Watch this video:

Jason Gray – Glow In The Dark (Lyric Video)

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If you enjoyed this post, please stop by Carlie’s blog and let her know. While you’re there, be sure to tell her I said hi! 🙂

Wishing you blessings, 

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