Women of Reverence welcomes Erica Dlamini as a guest blogger.
I love Jesus with all my heart. I am always amazed that the King of Kings, Creator of all the earth and heavens, calls me His own. Hence, I get super excited when there are salvations because another person can experience this Amazing Love.
I have been married for 20 years to a handsome, humble, loving man – Jabu. We have four beautiful, talented children.
For 11 years, we have been leading MCC in Mafikeng. For 10 years, I have been the Principal of a pre-school. The pre-school is a ministry of the Church, together with a school for Grade R to Matric.
My children say I am a workaholic. I always ‘need’ something to do (even during lockdown). I love to cook and also play my guitar. I am a quiet person, yet not shy. I rather listen more than speak, so having been asked to blog is definitely God stretching me. It is an honour to be a part of this.
When I saw the topic “Reflections”, I immediately thought of a lake. As I look at the surface of the water, I see my face reflected. A look in the mirror – we see reflections. Look at a young lady or man – often, we will see a reflection of their parents. Some people like to reflect a mentor, hero, politician, teacher, preacher, elder, deacon, brother or sister.
In Exodus 19, we read that Moses climbed to the top of Mount Sinai. He met God. God talked to him. Forty days later, when Moses came down, when the people looked at him, they saw in his face a reflection of God’s glory. This reflection was too much to look at, hence Moses put a veil over his face.
All of us are reflections of someone or something.
“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” Proverbs 27:19 (NIV).
Water has no choice in what it reflects. The lake I looked into will show the image of my face, exactly as it is. So, in the same way, our lives reflect the state our hearts are in. Unlike water, however, people do have a choice in what they reflect.
How do you know the difference between a righteous and an evil person?
I think the answer is by looking at their life, their lifestyle, the way they live. And, in turn, if you know their life, you will know their heart state and if they are righteous or evil. Whatever they have stored in their hearts, whatever they have exposed their hearts to, whatever that is, will be reflected in their lives.
Someone who lies, is jealous, easily angered, steals, gossips, murders, jealous or divides etc. is reflecting what is in their hearts and it is not Christ. We are supposed to reflect Jesus. People should see Jesus when they look at us. We should choose to reflect Jesus before and above anyone else.
I went through a very bad patch in my life. I realized that some of the things I was doing and saying were not reflecting Jesus. I think we go through times like that and it’s important that when we see that happening, we take action.
1. KNOW WHAT YOU ARE REFECTING:
It’s important to take time to do a self-reflection of your life.
Look deep into your heart. Search it. Think through your experiences. Do they align with what you want to reflect?
Self-reflection gives one an opportunity to pause from the chaos. It gives opportunity to untangle and sort through observations and life experiences, consider possible interpretations and create meaning.
Self-reflection is like looking at yourself in the mirror and seeing that blackhead or wrinkle that’s always been there, yet you never saw until you made time to take a deeper, closer look at……... YOU.
Look carefully at your heart, then you will know exactly what it is you are reflecting. If you discover something that does not reflect Jesus, it’s not the end of the world, as long as you are willing to deal with it. Jesus will definitely want that out of your life, if you do. Call on him, confess it, remove it. Walk with Him.
1 John 1:9 (NKJV): “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Romans 12:1-2: “…Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
2. HOW TO REFLECT JESUS?
Moses took the time to walk up Mount Sinai. According to Wikipedia, it takes about 3 hours to climb Mount Sinai. Moses walked up and down. God talked to him. He listened. He exposed his heart to God. He was with Him for forty days. As a result, He reflected Him.
Reflecting Jesus is not an instant recipe. It’s a daily practice that takes time, discipline, dedication.
To be like Jesus, we need to expose ourselves to Him. Be in His presence like Moses.
Read the word; the word is God.
(John 1:1 [NIV]: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”)
You will know Him more and better by reading HIS word. Talk to Him, that is, pray. The more you spend time with Him, the more you will reflect Him in the way you act, speak and think.
Moses spent time exposing his heart to God and, hence, reflected Him.
There is no portrait of Jesus. Yet people should be able to see Christ’s likeness in you and me. They should be able to see Christ’s reflection in us.
Love
Erica