As I continued thinking about yesterday’s reflection, another thought came to mind.
What if our lives are like windows?
Not windows for people to see us…
But windows through which people catch a glimpse of Christ.
Whether we realize it or not, someone is always watching.
Our spouse.
Our children.
Our neighbors.
Our coworkers.
The cashier at the grocery store.
The stranger who sees how we react when things don’t go our way.
Most people will never open a Bible before they first observe the life of someone who claims to follow Christ.
That thought stopped me for a moment.
What does my life show others?
As I reflected on another sermon I recently heard, I couldn’t help but think that our lives generally influence people in one of three ways.
First, our lives can lead others toward Christ.
When people see genuine faith, humility, kindness, forgiveness, and hope, they begin to see something different. They may not understand everything about Christianity, but they recognize there is something different about a life surrendered to Jesus.
Second, our lives can encourage other believers to walk more faithfully with Christ.
Have you ever met someone whose quiet faith made you want to pray more, trust God more, or love others better? God often uses ordinary believers to strengthen one another simply by the way they live.
Third, our lives can become a stumbling block.
When our words and our actions don’t agree… when we claim Christ on Sunday but live for ourselves the rest of the week… people notice. Sometimes our inconsistency becomes an obstacle that keeps others from taking the gospel seriously.
That’s a sobering thought.
None of us lives perfectly.
That’s why we need God’s grace every single day.
But by His Spirit, we should desire for our lives to point people toward Christ—not away from Him.
Jesus said,
“Ye are the light of the world… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14,16 KJV)
Notice something important.
Jesus didn’t say people would glorify us.
They glorify the Father because of what they see through us.
Maybe that’s the picture of a window.
A clean window doesn’t draw attention to itself.
It lets you see what’s on the other side.
May our lives be so clear that when people look at us…
They don’t simply see us.
They catch a glimpse of Jesus.
So let me leave you with one question.
When people look through the window of your life… what do they see?
Until the rain falls again…
Grace and peace,
A Porch Believer