Is it obvious?

by angiehauer · Published April 15. 2022 · Updated April 14. 2022

You are created in the image of God, so people can see God through you. Radical, isn’t it? You and I may not always manage to do that, but time and time again we will – more than we think!

Jesus wants to work through us here on earth. He trusts us to willingly work for him. We should and we can actively participate in world affairs and bring a piece of heaven on earth – with the help of the Holy Spirit.

When I thought about this, I wondered: What am I doing? Am I active? Does it make a difference if I live and do I have an impact? Will someone through me understand better what Jesus is like? Am I pointing to Jesus with my life?

I came up with quite a few examples of how you and I can make a difference, often in small ways and sometimes in big ways. This list is of course far from complete, feel free to add to it!
I point to Jesus and bring heaven to earth, …

when I help the weak, whether it is my sick neighbor or when I start a charitable organization for Africa.
when I pray for people, whether that happens alone in a quiet place or I say a prayer for healing and the person gets well.
When I show character, am reliable and honest. People see that.
When I show Jesus’ love to my child and show him that I am also in the process of growth and God is helping me.
when I use my finances for God.
when those around me notice that I have joy in Jesus, whether they are my friends or 1000 people from the stage.
when things are not going well for me, but I still hold on to God’s love.

With your faith and actions, you show Jesus to the world; just like Jesus showed his Father, our God, to the world through his life. Your relationship with God is important, not the actions, and yet your relationship leads to actions. It is not performance for performance’s sake, but the privilege and joy of serving our gracious, kind and so powerful God. This is how my faith shows itself. I am proud to belong to Him and reverently and humbly count on the Holy Spirit to work through me. And also, when I feel I have failed, I can bring it back to Jesus. Hopefully I’ve learned something and will approach it differently next time.

Or do you feel that you are not accomplishing anything for God? Maybe you don’t know God well enough, because from the reverence for God and the joy in him, he shines through and becomes visible in you.

Do we live in the awareness that we are important and have a purpose from God? Does this make you feel pressured? Imagine a good, well-meaning father who sees the potential in his child and waits eagerly for his child to perceive, develop and use that potential. On the one hand we work to please our father, but also because it is a joy to accomplish something meaningful and good! We must not forget that in all our efforts we have God’s helper, the Holy Spirit, at our side.

What God has put into you shines through in your life, thoughts and actions. The more you develop your potential and the closer your relationship with God becomes, the more a bit of God’s character and love for others becomes visible.