Good morning people who reflect God to others

Stephen had been arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. He was being falsely accused and harassed. Have you ever found yourself in a situation like this?

What was Stephen’s response? What did his face say?

Acts 9:15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Stephen’s face reflected a heavenly being. This was not something weird and strange in a mystical sense. I believe what they saw was God through Stephen. Stephen’s countenance was Christlike.

It’s a lot easier to accurately reflect God when things are going great. But it’s a lot more effective accurately revealing God when things are going against us. The reality is we can all respond right when life is great. But it takes a person filled with God and living more for God than themselves to reflect God in the tough and contradictory seasons of life.

Stephen reflected God in an extremely difficult situation.

I wonder if that could be said about you and me in similar times of difficulty.

I know for me it’s very easy to show my annoyance, my sense of injustice, my hurt, and my unforgiveness in these times. I don’t want my face to reflect these things.

I want to reflect God, yes even to my accusers. I know this happens as I surrender to the Lordship of Christ, even when it’s very difficult.

The ability to reflect God in these times is established outside of these times. It’s therefore not so much about trying in the difficult times but allowing the God in us to overflow and living a fully surrendered life.

I think we all need God’s help to reflect Him in difficult times.