Picture That

Jesus is called "...the image of the invisible God..." (Col 1:15).  Image, from the Greek "icon," carries the meaning of an exact representation, which is where the name "Nikon" came for the popular camera suggesting that it will capture the exact image of what you are shooting on film (well, at least my Nikon did, yours today captures it digitally).

The point is that Jesus was referred to as the exact representation of God, who so perfectly reflected Him that he could rightly say, "Anyone who has seen me (Jesus) has seen the Father" (Jn 14:19).  And, you might be thinking, "Of course, after all, he is the Son of God."  True, but who is our Father?  Is it not to "our Father in Heaven" (Mt 6:9) to whom we pray?  Did not God "create mankind in his own image" (Gen 1:27)?  So then, ought we not reflect that His image?

We should reflect His image but we will reflect the image that we hold most closely - that which makes the greatest impression on us, somewhat like "Silly Putty" that you could press on the newspaper and capture its image in the glob.

If money makes the greatest impression, we will reflect greed.  If it is power, we will reflect control.  If it is sex, we will reflect objectification.  As someone once said, "That which we perceive is that which we believe and that which we believe is that which we become.

Like the film of a camera exposed to an image or Silly Putty pressed onto a page, whatever it is that we focus on or press in to the most, that is the image we will bear and others will see reflected.  If it is God we hold closely in our hearts, we will bear his image and others will see reflected.  And they will know, Christ followers, that "God is really among [us]" (1 Cor 14:25).  Jus' Say'n.