Reflecting the Character of Jesus

Next Sunday I will begin teaching an adult Sunday School class. I am scheduled to teach two Sundays per month, and the pastor will teach the other two (when there is a five-Sunday month we'll figure it out!). This congregation discontinued Sunday School over a year ago. I am so pleased that the new pastor sees the importance of Bible studies for every age, and is working on building things up again.

The over-all theme for this quarter for all ages is "Character." For the adult class the base Scripture is Galatians 5:22, 23:
     But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Each lesson takes one "fruit" and uses a Scripture portion that illustrates that quality through an event, a person, or a teaching.

In beginning my preparation for the first lesson, a visual came to me of a group of people holding mirrors. Each mirror is tilted in such a way that it picks up a reflection from another mirror. The first mirror is turned toward Jesus. Therefore, back and forth, from mirror to mirror, the reflection of Jesus moves through the group.

To me, this is what our lives become--as we absorb these character qualities, we are reflecting Jesus to others.

Nothing is less lovely than a person who claims to be a follower of Christ but lives in an attitude of criticism, hatred, self-importance,self-righteousness, and anger. We will never draw others to Jesus if we treat them with an attitude of scorn.

So, this week I am thinking about Love. How do I reflect that quality to others?