And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
They’re everywhere.
Those television shows. You know the ones. Decorators transform a room in a day or two. Stylists make over a willing candidate, giving her a fresh new look. The experts re-do, re-shape, re-structure and re-design people, places and things and we watch with baited breath, hoping the results will be nothing short of miraculous.
Improvement TV.
Makeover madness. Why do we love it so much? After all, we can’t even remember the homeowner’s name from one episode to the next. The made-over face fades from our memory as the credits roll, so why do we let ourselves get wrapped up in their lives for thirty or even sixty minutes? Why do we sit glued to the television set, hoping for satisfactory results?
Simple. Transformations.
We love the idea of taking something and changing it into something else. Miraculous transformations - the stuff fairy tales are made of. The ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan. The toad becomes a prince. The once hopeless undergoes a few changes and hope kicks in. Color springs from something once bland and boring and everyone feels better. It makes for great TV.
It also works well in the real world. There is nothing more satisfying than watching someone transform before your eyes, especially for those who know the Lord. An alcoholic lays down the bottle. An abusive mother blossoms into a caring, loving parent. A rebellious teen turns his heart toward home. We watch from the sidelines and cheer for them all. Yes, we love those transformations.
And so, we settle back onto the sofa, ready to kick back and relax. Through the miracle of television, we live vicariously through others. A nip here, a tuck there—and they become something better than what they were. Secretly, we long for change, too, but change takes time and effort, and we’ve worked so hard already. After all, we made some initial changes when we came to the Lord. So, episode after episode we sit in frozen stillness.
At some point, we need switch from the role of observer to active participant. Truth be told, there are many areas in our own lives that could use a little “makeover.” Are you open to change?
Challenging Thought: Today, make a list of the areas of your life that could use a little makeover. What steps can you take in that direction?
Read more devotions like this one in a new book Janice co-authored with Louise Looney titled An Overcoming Walk of Peaks and Valleys, now available on Amazon!
Comments
No Comments