When I was a little child my mom had a friend named Sister Smothers.
She was this older and wise African-American woman with a beautiful spirit about her and a deep yet child like faith in God.
Sister Smothers acted much like a spiritual mother to my mom.
Beginning the day I was born she would hold me in her arms and say, "Look at this baby. He's little Jesus."
As I grew older she would always ask my mom, "How is little Jesus doing today?" or "Tell little Jesus that I love him!"
From my earliest memories I knew that being like Jesus was a good thing.
Unfortunately in my teen years I would beat myself up over not being "Little Jesus."
After all, I thought, "Little Jesus" can't be gay.
"Little Jesus" wouldn't struggle with porn and sex addiction.
"Little Jesus" would not have these horrible secrets!
Every time I made mistakes I would say to myself, "Little Jesus would not have done that."
Now in my adult years, thank God I realize that showing Jesus to others is not about being perfect.
No, being "Little Jesus" to others means that we show the Love of Christ to everyone around us even when we don't think we measure up.
My life radically changed when I stopped focusing on myself and my shortcomings.
Instead I started focusing on Jesus and the power that comes by having Him living inside of me!
When I started looking outward and showing Jesus to those around me, God's grace and mercy, through His beautiful and gentle Holy Spirit, started cleaning up my life.
His light flooded into the darkest places of my mind and the secrets that once haunted me, the double life I once lived, melted away leaving behind a genuine and authentic person that God could use.
The addictions that once seemed so powerful, that bound me in shackles of fear and shame, fell away under the pressure of God's power!
Okay John, that's a great story, but why does it matter to me?
It matters because as a Christian our first priority should be to show Christ to everyone we meet.
Our goal should be to live as the walking, breathing, ever reaching embodiment of Jesus here on Earth.
That is why the Christian Church is called the Body of Christ!
We are his arms stretched forth to rescue our brothers and sisters who are falling; His feet to run after the one lost sheep, leaving the ninety-nine behind!
Don't wait to be perfect before you show Jesus to others.
The word says that we are a New Creation in Christ!
As you focus on Jesus and showing His love to others and spending time in God's presence, He will transform you into the great man, woman, or trans that He has called you to be!
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into HIS image, with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord which is the Spirit." (NIV)
Surrender your life to Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to transform you into HIS image.
Go out of your house each new day determined to Show Jesus to everyone you meet!
How do I show Jesus to others?
To answer this let's look at the greatest commandment in the Bible:
In Matthew 22:37, 38 Jesus Says, "Love the Lord your God with All your heart, and with All your soul, and with All your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself." (NIV)
Love your father God completely.
Trust Him with every part of your life.
He longs to be a friend to you.
Talk with Him like you talk with your closest friend.
The more time you spend with God, in His presence, the more like Him you will be.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
When you see a need that you can meet, meet it.
Instead of walking past the homeless, give them food.
Offer them your coat.
When you know a friend is hurting reach out to them.
Jesus talks about this further in Matthew 25:
34-36"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what's coming to you in this kingdom. It's been ready for you since the world's foundation. And here's why:
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'
I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.'
37-40"Then those 'sheep' are going to say, 'Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me. (MSG)
Have you ever been the one who was overlooked?
Ignored?
Have you been the one who was hurting?
In need?
Remember the people that God put in your life to give you a shoulder to cry on or offer a hand when your car was broken down.
Those acts of kindness are an expression of Jesus and His Love for others.
By showing the undying, unfailing, unconditional Love of Jesus to those you encounter you could be providing hope for another day worth living or planting a seed for salvation, leading to eternal life.
It is that important.
You have probably noticed the quote from Mother Teresa that is on the top right hand corner of this blog.
She said, "If you judge people you have no time to love them. Each one of them is Jesus in disguise."
Start viewing your neighbor, whether stranger on the street or your best friend since childhood, as "Jesus in disguise."
It will change how you perceive the people around you and cause you to Show the Love of Jesus to everyone you encounter.
Please join me in deciding every minute of every day to live as
"Little Jesus."
As always Remember:
God Loves You!
God Created You!
God Accepts You!
Until Next Time,
SavedByGrace
SavedByGrace
