My son and daughter-in-law recently purchased their first home. It’s a bit of a fixer-upper, but full of potential. They are approaching the transforming work with eagerness and excitement, putting in the hard work to make their vision for their home a reality. Along the way, they are learning and experiencing new things, ie. air conditioner repair (a necessity in Arkansas in the summer), plumbing — and when to call a plumber— as well as A LOT of spackling and painting of walls and installing trim. It’s going to take time, effort, and endurance, but anything worthwhile and of importance does.
Homes aren’t the only things requiring renovation and transformation. Every day there is another article hitting my inbox with the best exercises for transforming the body, a new diet to aid in the transformation, and ways to experience peace in the midst of chaos. There is nothing wrong with these articles, but the real transformation we all need is one that has little to do with our physical bodies and everything to do with our Spiritual lives.
We Are All Fixer-Uppers
As Christians, we made the choice to follow Christ and live in obedience to Him. In essence, we are each a bit of a “fixer-upper.” God loves us and accepts us as we are, but He is not content to leave us as He finds us. He wants more for us and that requires a lot of renovation and transformation. We team up with God to become beautiful representations of Jesus and His love.
It all begins with the mind. Romans 12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (NLT 2nd ed.) Once we become Christians, we begin to think more like God. The more we read the Bible, the more our thinking is changed. I like to think of it as my eyes being opened or waking up from a deep sleep. The world becomes a different place, a place where I can make a difference, if I follow God’s will.
A Bit of a Fixer-Upper Becomes A New Creation
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul talks of the transformation we undergo as Christians. He says we are new creations in Him. Our transformation is not complete until we go to heaven, but with each passing day, month, and year that we remain in His word and commit to living like Christ, we experience the process of transformation. What’s even better, others see it. In fact, they not only see more of Jesus in us, they experience Him and His love through us.
It’s not easy, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and change us. But the end result? It’s beautiful and life-changing, for us as well as those we have contact with. Like my kids, we have to be willing to put in the time and effort and endure the difficulties of growth. It’s a process consisting of small steps, but the end result will be beyond our wildest imaginations.
For further reading: Who Do You Look Like?
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