“Who’s That?”

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Everyone likes to hold a baby up to a mirror so he can see himself. The baby reacts by either crying or laughing, but most of the time he is absorbed with the sight of “another baby” looking back at him. Who does he “take after?” My question to you today really concerns the reflection of the child as he grows into an adult. Who will he really see? Who will he really look like?

• Will he look like Mom? Love, respect, tenderness
• Dad? Character, discipline, convictions, right and wrong.
• Grandparents?
• Neighbors and friends?

Sometimes a child looks like one person, but acts like someone else. He inherits or develops the temperament of those he is closest to.

Of course, what I’m talking about is influence. Who will that the greatest influence in his life? The answer is simple: Whoever takes the greatest interest in him, spends the most time with him and cares about him the most.

I hope the reflection that he sees in the mirror will look like Jesus.

If he will look like Jesus, he will have to be…

• close to Him
• be brought to church regularly
• hear the name of Jesus often
• see and hear prayer in the home
• led to give his heart and life to Jesus
• be taught how Jesus lived, died, and rose again

23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror  24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it— he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:23-25 (NIV)