One Sunday, Pastor Tricia gave a children’s sermon with two football teams' uniforms.  The conclusion was that we are followers of Jesus, so our behaviors and beliefs should reflect the image of God to the world.  It sounded like one of the most basic sermon themes we commonly hear.   But, the more I think of this matter, the heavier responsibility I feel as a Christian. 

We represent our God to people around us and we hope to do well. Often we don’t. Who will represent us most in human relationships?  There will be some exceptions, but our own children are the ones who carry our image and add to it daily.

I have read a book, You Had Me at Woof--How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness, twice this year.  The writer, Julie Klam, is a dog lover and works for a Boston terrier rescue in the New York area as a volunteer.  There's one statement that hit me the most: "if you want to have a better dog, you have to be a better human."  If even animals follow and learn from someone who is around them, how important are we for other people around us to lead them to the image of God!

I participated in the prayer vigil and chose to spend my allocated time in the social hall.  While walking the Labyrinth towards the center, I recalled my life from birth to now.  After praying for many people who have been around me in the past and present: my family, churches, and finally for myself, I spent another 15 minutes moving back from the center, as if experiencing my future from now to my last moment on the earth.

Our lives seem like that; coming back from the center seemed shorter than the time stepping toward the center.  The time we will share with people and love each other will not be long.  The time we praise and glorify God will not be long in this life either. With the limited time we have in earthly life, we should spend more time for the most valuable things.  What would those be?

We pray that God will provide us the wisdom to make those decisions, and the will to follow his guidance.   Let us keep praying and praising God, and love each other until God welcomes us in heaven!