Reflections

One of my favorite things is clean windows, though you'd never know it this past summer. We had a robin that repeatedly flew into one of our high windows for several weeks. She finally built a nest within a foot of the window and raised her family there. Thus, I didn't want to bother them by putting up the ladder and washing the window. Instead I waited all summer with a smudge-covered window.

Well, I finally got the gumption to get out the ladders and wash my windows one day last week. It takes some finagling to fit the ladder over or around the bushes that border most of our house-one reason for the dread I have of starting the project. When the bushes were small I could run out and wash all the outside windows in less than an hour. Of course I was younger then also. Now I have to talk myself into the event that seems to take half a day.

But there is no doubt that the work is worth the time and energy it takes. From the outside you can see the reflection of the trees, the blue sky, and the sunshine in the windows. Then, I love coming back inside and observing God's beauty through the invisible glass. I can watch the harvest of corn across the landscape, the trees waving in the wind, and the fall colors erupting on the branches.

I believe God likes it when we are able to reflect the face of Jesus to others. When we accept Jesus into our hearts we are given a clean slate to shine through. When we make good choices in all that we do, we become a reflection of Jesus. And even when we slip up and make a wrong choice, God welcomes us back with our repentance and assures us we are always loved.

"Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord" (Psalm 4:6b NIV).

"For God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV).

Lord, make us a reflection of your love to each person we meet this week. Amen.