Lynn Jones: Live so that people can see God in you
By Lynn Jones
While serving as pastor of one of my first churches, a young family moved into our community and attended our church with their four-year-old daughter whose name was Christie.
When Danielle and I went by on a rainy evening to visit the family, the mother and her daughter met us at the door and invited us in. As we went into the house, Christie said to me, “Why were you turning the lights off and on?” I didn’t know what she was talking about, so I looked at her mother for an explanation. Her mother had an embarrassed smile on her face and said, “Earlier when the lightning was flashing, Christie was afraid. So, I said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. That’s just the Lord turning the lights off and on’. She has seen you preaching at church about the Lord, and she has gotten things a little mixed up. She is confusing you with the Lord.”
I laughed when she told me that, and I said, “No, Christie, I wasn’t turning the lights off and on. That was the Good Lord. He controls the lightning and the rain. He sends the rain to water the grass, and the lightning comes with it. There is nothing to be afraid of. The Good Lord sends the rain and the lightning because He cares about us.”
She looked like she understood what I had said, so we sat down and started talking with her parents. As we did so, I had a good feeling because I had helped Christie understand how the Good Lord is the one in charge of everything.
As we were visiting, Christie worked her way over to where Danielle was sitting and asked her, “What is your name?” Danielle smiled and said, “My name is Danielle.” Then Christie pointed at me sitting across the room and asked Danielle, “And what is the Good Lord’s name?”
We have never forgotten that visit nor the question that Christie asked that night. As far as I know, it is the only time that someone has ever mixed me up with the Lord. But, if I am going to be mixed up with someone, I am proud of that mix up.
In the Old Testament, there is the story of Jacob’s coming home to see his brother Esau after being gone 20 years. Jacob was afraid to meet Esau because he had stolen Esau’s blessing from their father Isaac, and Esau had sworn that he would kill Jacob. But when Jacob and Esau met, Esau embraced him and welcomed him home. When Jacob saw Esau’s love and acceptance, he said, “I have seen your face as though I had seen the face of God” (Gen. 33:10). When you treat others with love and grace, they may be able to see the face of God in you!
Lynn Jones is a retired pastor who lives in Oxford. He does supply preaching for churches in his area and often serves as an interim pastor. Jones is also an author, has written two books and writes a weekly newspaper column. He may be contacted at: kljones45@yahoo.com.
