On Sunday we talked about how much we become like the people we spend time with…We pick up their expressions, their habits, and sometimes even their attitudes. Spend enough time around someone, and before long, you might catch yourself saying something exactly the way they would say it. It's funny how that happens.
But here's a question worth thinking about: If spending time with other people influences who we become, what happens when we spend time with God?
That's an important question because it's possible to spend years going to church, reading the Bible, singing worship songs, and participating in religious activities without stopping to consider whether any of it is actually changing us. In Exodus 34, Moses has spent forty days on Mount Sinai in the presence of God. When he comes down carrying the stone tablets, something remarkable has happened. His face is shining! And perhaps the most interesting detail is that Moses doesn't even realize it. Everyone else can see the difference. Being in God's presence has left its mark on him. Now, we shouldn't expect our faces to shine like Moses' did. His experience was extraordinary. But the New Testament tells us that something even more significant is happening in the lives of those who follow Jesus.
In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul writes: “And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” (NLT)
I love those words, "more and more." They remind us that becoming like Jesus is a process. It's something God continues doing in us throughout our lives. Here's an interesting detail that even longtime Bible readers might appreciate. The Greek word Paul uses for "being transformed" is metamorphoumetha. It's related to our English word metamorphosis, the word we use to describe the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Think about that for a moment. A caterpillar doesn't simply become a better caterpillar. It undergoes a remarkable transformation. And that's a helpful picture of what God is doing in us.
God isn't simply trying to make us better versions of ourselves. Through His Spirit, He's making us more like Jesus.
But here's where this becomes personal. How do we know whether that transformation is happening? It's tempting to measure our spiritual lives by how much we know about the Bible, how often we attend church, or how many years we've been Christians. And while those things can be important, they aren't necessarily the best evidence of spiritual growth. A better question might be: Am I becoming more like Jesus in the way I live? Am I more patient with my family than I used to be? Am I becoming quicker to forgive and slower to get angry? Am I more generous with what God has given me? Am I learning to trust Him when things don't go according to plan?
Those are the places where genuine transformation becomes visible. And here's something else worth remembering. God doesn't begin changing us because we've finally become worthy of His attention. Earlier in Exodus 34, God renews His covenant with Israel even though the people have turned their backs on Him by worshiping a golden calf. They haven't earned another opportunity. God graciously offers them one. That's grace. God welcomes us through His grace, calls us to wholehearted faithfulness, and continues changing us through His Spirit.
The order matters. We don't change ourselves to earn God's love. We respond to His love by allowing Him to change us. And most of that change happens gradually. We'd probably prefer immediate results. We'd love to pray for patience on Monday and wake up Tuesday morning as the most patient person in the world! But that's usually not how spiritual growth works. Little by little, God teaches us to respond differently, love more deeply, forgive more freely, and trust Him more completely.
So here's my encouragement for this week. Don't try to change everything about your life at once. Instead, ask God to show you one area where you need to become more like Jesus. Maybe it's your attitude, your priorities, your marriage, or the way you respond when someone frustrates you.
Surrender that area to Him. Take one practical step of obedience. And trust His Spirit to continue the work He's already begun.
Because the goal of following Jesus isn't simply to know more about Him.
It's to become more and more like Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me and giving me a new beginning through Your grace. Help me recognize the areas of my life that still need to change. Teach me to walk closely with Jesus, and through Your Spirit, make me more patient, loving, forgiving, and faithful. May the people around me see more of Jesus in the way I live. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
