A Reflective Image

 

     During this last December, I was walking along the streets of downtown Toronto during one cold, winter night after a busy day of shopping . Tired of walking and wanting to get back to the warmth of my hotel room, I picked up my pace, making it my mission to get onto the subway as quickly as possible.

     About a few minutes in, I found myself on a street of homeless people, many slumped against walls, some holding onto signs asking for money, and others simply trying to shield themselves from the cold.  Overwhelmed by the immense need everywhere, I did what I thought was best and gave one women the few dollars of change I had in my purse.  Yet, I still felt shame for not doing anything more than tossing coins into a hat of a woman I hardly even made eye contact with.  As I began to walk away, I noticed a couple bent down to pray with the same woman who I had given my few measly coins to. This, I thought to myself, is a picture of Christ.

     Although I did not join in and spend the rest of my evening that night praying and spending time with the homeless, I have not been able to get the image of this couple praying out of my head. As I look back I am plagued with a sense of guilt and duty, and now I am beginning to understand why.

     Every single one of us carries an image. Think about the last time you visited the mall and sat in the food court, or sipped your latte in a busy coffee shop, and observed the people around you.  The woman trying to quiet her child, who you assume must drive a soccer mom van and is on her way to buy groceries.  Or the young teenage boy with the backward hat and headphones on, who you think must be full of teenage angst and rebellion.  Or maybe you look to the table beside you and see an elderly lady with her decaf coffee, likely waiting for her other retired friends, who will all share stories of their grandchildren.  We all give off an image, whether we choose to or not.

    The image of ourselves that we reveal to others can be made from many different things, one of these being clothes. We often use the things we wear to make a statement about who we are to others. For example, one might wear a suit when wanting to appear professional, or vibrant colors and patterns when in a cheery mood. As author Lauren Winner writes, "This is why some of us enjoy clothes so much, why we love changing our clothes and trying out a different look- every time we change into a different kind of clothing, we can play at being a different kind of self" (Winner, 38).

     The way we represent ourselves to the rest of the world, the image we chose to show, clearly says something about who we are to the people who meet and interact with us. Whether it is clothes we use to express ourselves, or the facial expressions we wear, or the tone of voice we use, we give off an image to others that reflects our character. This is why I am beginning to understand my lingering feelings when thinking about my night in Toronto.  You see, as I said, we all cast an image, often through clothes, wanting to create a better picture of ourselves to the rest of the world. However, observing the couple praying over the homeless in Toronto, I witnessed exactly what it looked like to forget about upholding one's own image, and instead choosing to reflect the image of Christ.  They did this not through what they were wearing, or the way they presented themselves, or even through the words they were saying. No, instead their reflection of Christ was made evident through the love they clearly displayed by taking time to make an outcast feel like part of the family of God.

    Jesus himself, in the midst of knowing he was about to be crucified, chooses to love his friends and serve them by washing their feet. After doing this for every one of His disciples,  he says these words: "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you" (John 13:14 NIV).  The couple I encountered truly got this. They understood what it meant to not live for the world, but rather to choose to honor the Father by imitating Him.

     My lingering guilt is due to the fact that I had missed this message, I failed to reflect my Father.  But I refuse to stay there; new emotions have taken place of my guilt as I too have decided I am joining this couple, making it my goal to reflect the love of the Father to all, which binds us all together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14 NLT).  Through the example of my faithful friends on the street that night, I am making the choice to lay down my image of complacency and instead choose to clothe myself in love.

     In the words of Erwin McManus", If we understood our lives as the canvas God has entrusted us to create, if we realize that our lives are to reflect the nature and essence of God, then we will choose to expand those things that reflect the heart and character of God. When we choose to create as an act of love, we join forces with the Creator of the universe and become givers of life" (McManus, 106). I invite the rest of you to join me in laying down the false images we have been promoting to the world, and instead exchange them for the love of Christ.

If you too have stories of encountering those who reflected the Father please comment below. Thanks for reading!

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McManus, Erwin Raphael. 2015. The Artisan Soul: Crafting Your Life Into a Work of Art.  New York: Harper Collins.

Photography, Thirdblade. "Bridge Reflection." Flickr. December 05, 2013. Accessed January 17, 2019. https://www.flickr.com/photos/thirdblade/11216091146.

Winner, Lauren F.  2015. Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God.  New York: Harper Collins.