Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.
Reflecting the image of Christ can only occur if His own righteousness is appropriated in us, for then it will not be merely manifested as right acts and right words, but will also saturate every fiber of our being, so that if we are shaken upside down, and inside out, only Jesus will be seen and heard. Thus it is that when Christ is being reflected in and through us, it's not so much what we do, but who we are at the core, and thus there will be no need to impress nor persuade others that we are Christians, for it will show naturally.
However, God will have us understand that reflecting Christ does involve some effort and cooperation on our part, for the natural man is always striving against the will and desire to do that which is right. And to address this problem, we must also be careful not to reach for our own solutions, such as will power, positive thinking, and a host of other man-made tools that are not recognized in the scriptures. If the image of Christ is to shine through us to others, we must do what God says is necessary, by spending quality time with Jesus each and every day, beholding the beauty and symmetry of His character, and as we implement what we have seen of Him, through the enabling power of The Holy Ghost, then we are changed from one stage of development to another. Let's read:
2nd Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Now it is a fact that we sometimes reflect Christ only under favorable conditions, for when life is going smoothly in its unvarying round, it's easy to appear changed in character. But it is often the case that when our feathers are ruffled unexpectedly, and those rainy days of our lives settle in, then our demeanor, attitudes, and outlook on life sometimes change with the situations, and the old habits and attributes that were cultivated in former years, may end up rising to the surface. But when Christ is dwelling in our hearts by faith, we are enabled to see past our current difficulties, and our minds are empowered to dwell upon that which is not seen, even the Eternal God, and unseen realities which buoy up our spirits.
This is what took place with Job, when the storms of life suddenly battered him in the worst way possible, and when friends and family turned against him, kept his eye on Christ, having a living faith in God, and being enabled to see past the temporary upheavals, to focus on what really matters in life, that of being saved in God's kingdom when Christ shall return. And in this way Job was enabled to reflect the character of Christ, even though his painful sores, and the sudden loss of his children weighed heavily on his mind. Let's read:
Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Let us therefore seek God daily, not in a haphazard manner that is subject to the varying circumstances of life, but faithfully and relentlessly each day, for if we diligently seek after Christ and His righteousness, His character will be formed within us through the protracted working of The Holy Spirit. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which confirms this sacred truth and it is the will of God that we allow Him to do His perfect work within us, starting from today. Let's read:
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
May God add His blessing to the study and practice of His word. "Good night" and God bless!