Reflecting Jesus to Others

Keys for Kids Daily Devotional for November 10, 2007
TITLE: The Antique Mirror
SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 2:21-24
AUDIO: listen here
THE STORY FOR TODAY:
"Mom, look at this old mirror!" Carrie exclaimed. She and her mother were checking to see if anything in the attic should be put on their garage sale. As she looked in the mirror, Carrie giggled at her short, squat reflection. "This mirror makes me look so funny. I bet it wouldn't sell for much."
Mom came up behind her and looked. "Well, I want to keep it anyway," she said with a laugh. "That mirror is very old. It belonged to your Great-Great-Grandmother Stevens."
"Can we take it down to show everybody?" asked Carrie.
"Sure," agreed Mom, "they'd like to see it, too."
That evening, the Stevens family laughed together over their reflections in the antique mirror. "It's fun to see myself in this old mirror, but it makes me look all squashed," said Carrie. "I'm sure glad we have better ones to use now."
Her brother Noah nodded. "Me, too," he said.
"I wonder what each of us reflects as we go about our tasks each day," murmured Mom.
"You make it sound like we're mirrors!" exclaimed Noah. "Mirrors reflect things. We're people, not mirrors."
Mom smiled. "In a way, people are also mirrors," she said. "What they read and see is often reflected in what they say and do. We're Christians, so Jesus should be reflected in our words and actions."
"Yes, and it should be a true image of Him," added Dad. "People should see Jesus in us, the way He really is-not a 'squashed' reflection."
"A squashed reflection?" asked Noah. "What would that be?"
"Well, people sometimes get the impression that Christians think they're better than other people," said Dad. "Or they may hear Christians gossip or see them cheat or be unkind. Then they wouldn't be seeing a true picture of Jesus."
"That's right," agreed Mom. "We should reflect characteristics of Jesus. What are some of them?"
"Love . . . kindness . . . helpfulness . . . patience . . ." Carrie and Noah took turns naming them.
Mom nodded. "Those are things people should see in our lives," she said.
MEMORY VERSE: Let us love one another, for love is of God. 1 John 4:7
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do others see Jesus in you? Can He be seen when you're talking with your friends and when you're playing at school or in your neighborhood? Do you reflect Jesus' great love for everybody? Or is your reflection of Him marred by mean and hateful actions? Yield to Jesus each moment of the day so your life can be a true reflection of His love. Let others see Him in the way you live.
THE KEY: Let Jesus be seen in you