What Do You See… When You Look At Me?

Sometimes I wonder how people see me. I mean, really and truly see me. What do they think? Why? It’s not a vanity thing, it’s just a “how am I doing in your life” kind of thing. I wish we felt freer to say that to each other more often, without it getting weird. Especially between guys and girls. I have a couple of guy friends that I truly appreciate and enjoy spending time with. They are the platonic kind of friends, and I am grateful they have never tried to push it further than that. I guess they don’t know that I cherish their friendship. I should probably tell them.

I was at our Bible study tonight and it was a wonderful night. My day today was a little intense at times, so I needed that girl fellowship. We spent a lot of time in Colossians 3 and one of the things that has been running around my mind lately is how I (Christian) am viewed in the world.

Colossians 3:1-3 (NASB)

¹ Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

If we have been raised up with Christ, meaning, accepted Him as Lord and Savior… set your mind on the things above. This means to set your mind on the things of Heaven, the things Christ would want us to be doing, thinking, saying.

Colossians 3:5-7 (NASB)

⁵ Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. ⁶ For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

What does this mean exactly? Well, our earthly bodies no longer are our own. It belongs to Christ. Whatever we do with our earthly body, we do to Jesus.

For the ladies, look at what you wear. Is it something revealing enough that you would cause a man to stare at your chest because you are pretty much falling out of the very low cut shirt you are wearing? Would you want to meet Jesus wearing that particular short skirt?  

For the guys, it’s a little different. It isn’t about what you wear as much as it is about what you do. When you hang all over your female friends, what are you saying to them? To a girl, you are telling her you like her. It may not be anywhere close to what you actually mean, but that is what your body language says when you lay on/excessively hug on/hang all over a girl. We are emotional creatures.

As our Christian brothers, you should want to protect our hearts (even from YOU!) as much as you want to physically protect us.

Ladies, you aren’t off the hook yet. You should also want to protect your Christian brothers by being aware that what you wear affects them (and honestly, if you are wearing the really revealing clothing, then you are probably more concerned with getting attention anyway) and how you act also affects them.  Be careful and protect each other.

Colossians 3:8-11 (NASB)

 ⁸ But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, ¹⁰ and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— ¹¹ a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Vs 10 says to “put on the new self,” and so we must. We have to seek our God and get to know Him. We need to know what He wishes for our lives and we cannot truly do that unless we seek Him out. But first, we have to shed our old ways.

Let me caution you to pray as you seek the Lord's will for your life. Whether it be marriage or singleness, strive for holiness. Protect your Brothers and Sisters in Christ. And love each other.