“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10
Recently, my youngest granddaughter celebrated her 13th birthday. Her mother baked a beautiful multi-layered cake covered in rainbow sprinkles. What was known only to the baker was that inside the center of the cake were more sprinkles mixed with small chocolate candies that spilled out when the first slice was lifted away from the cake. Needless to say, the cake was a highlight at the celebration!
Man is just like that cake. On the outside, a person can be beautiful in appearance, tall in stature, or polite in conversation, while inwardly that same person can be unhappy, angry or bitter. Anyone can see the outer person, but the only one who can see our heart, our inner man, is our Creator. We can be “clean” on the outside, but very “unclean” on the inside, and only God knows what is in our inner being.
The Bible tells us that we should strive to be like Christ. Every part of our lives should be modeled after Jesus, inside and out. “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;” (Ephesians 5:1) We should follow in His footsteps as closely as possible. “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” (1 John 2:6) To do so, we should study the Scriptures for only through them will we learn how to be more like our Saviour. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:21
Here are some attributes of Christ that we should cultivate in our hearts.
- Love – “…for God is love.” 1 John 4:8
- Faithfulness – “They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:23
- Forgiveness – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
- Truthfulness – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
- Kindness – “Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city.” Psalm 31:21
- Obedience and Humility – “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:6
These are but a few of the characteristics of Christ in God’s Word that we should strive to emulate. As we study the Scriptures, we will grow in our faith, and as we grow in our faith and apply the truths of God’s Word to our lives, we become more like Christ. If we can truly walk in His footsteps, God will see His Son in our hearts when He looks at us, and when we reflect Jesus, the world will see the love of God, and our inner being, our living testimony, will point them toward the Saviour.
Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
(from “Oh, To Be Like Thee” by Thomas Chisholm)
“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
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What do you see when you look into your spiritual mirror?