Sunday, January 23, 2011 - Too Bright For Our Britches

     I have a confession to make, but please tell anyone you tell not to tell anyone else: I stay in my pajamas until it's time to walk through the door except on rare occasions when I've been caught running to the mailbox still in my p.j.'s. (Hey! the mail carrier shows up early in my neck of the woods.) My mornings seem to be one long train of thought and if I hop off the train, it leaves the station until the next morning. However, when it's time to be seen, I go through the customary primping and preening as I try to cover all the bases and flaws revealed in my artificially lighted bathroom. I've learned not to give the final thumbs up until I look at my reflection in the full, natural light of my car's rearview mirror. 

     We do a lot to make ourselves look better on the outside for other people but in the stark light of God's Love and Grace, all the cracks in our jars of clay come to light. Those cracks provide openings for God's glory and light to shine out of us but we don't want to accept our humanity as part of His plan. We try to cover the cracks because we're afraid if we let Him shine too brightly one day, we may not feel so shiny the next. We shudder to think people will label us "hypocrites" so to keep them from expecting too much or watching us too closely, we choose to maintain the same, non-attention-getting mediocre wattage by either dimming the Light or flipping on artificial light as needed.

     Scripture clearly states that God's Light shining through us is the natural outcome of Him making His Light shine in our hearts: 

"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. 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay 

to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 

2 Corinthians 4:6-7

Hiding His Light makes us hypocrites. We can't produce the Light and we're not to hide the Light He placed in us. We're miserable and we become miserable witnesses when we attempt to diminish or brighten Christ within us. Looking openly and fully into the Face of Jesus means we lose control over His shining with ever-increasing glory through our humanity as we become more like Him (2 Cor. 3:18). Our spiritual goal is to look constantly to the Lord so we become too bright for our britches as the Treasure we hold pours out through the cracks in our jars of clay. It's a Spirit-to-soul transformation no other light can imitate or radiate.  

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory,

are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, 

which comes from the Lord, 

who is  the Spirit." 

2 Corinthians 3:18

"But He said to me, 

'My grace is sufficient for you, 

for My power is made perfect in weakness.' 

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 

so that Christ's power may rest on me." 

2 Corinthians 12:9

"Be strong and courageous. 

Do not be terrified because of them, 

for the LORD your God goes with you; 

He will never leave you nor forsake you." 

Deuteronomy 31:6

Lord, forgive us when we try to tone down or add to Your Light. Teach us to do as the hymn says and turn our eyes to You so everything else dims. You are soul-transforming, Glory-infusing God. Give us strength and courage to let Your Grace be sufficient for our weaknesses. We'd rather You remove or at least hide our flaws, but then we'd start polishing and buffing ourselves instead of looking into Your beautiful Face. Show us how to throw back the veil and open ourselves completely to Your Light. 

In the Name of Jesus, our Shining Transforming Treasure!  

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face.

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.

Inspired by My Utmost for His Highest and Jesus Calling
Photo taken by Robin Noland in