What Does He See in Me?

In the 1993 comedy film Cool Runnings, timid bobsledder, Junior, is asked by his teammate, “Look in the mirror, and tell me what you see!” Junior responds, “I see Junior.”

Wanting to build the young man’s confidence, the teammate says, “You see Junior? Well, let me tell you what I see. I see pride! I see power! I see a badass muddah who don’t take no crap off of nobody!”

That’s what I call a pep talk!

Let me ask you—what do you see when you look in the mirror? Better yet—what does God see in you? I hope I can answer that in one word…

Jesus!

We were created to resemble Jesus—to reflect and radiate His glory. But like the lost son who left his father, hoping to find a better life, we ended up covered in pig muck! So much for reflecting His glory!

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

The word “glory” appears over 600 times in the Bible. It is the visible manifestation of God’s character. We see the glory of God in Jesus.

“The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God.” Hebrews 1:3

“For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

Good for Jesus—but what about me and the muck I’m covered in because of my sin?

“If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭

That’s great! But I think I need more than a bath. I need something to wear.

“He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness” Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭10‬

“I have given them the glory You gave me” ‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭22.‬

Because Jesus gives the repentant sinner the same glory the Father gave Him, we too can radiate His glory and express His character.

“Those who look to Him are radiant” Psalm 34:5.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you!” Isaiah 60:1

Amazing! Look again in the mirror and tell me what you see. If you don’t see Jesus, there may be a veil covering your eyes. Here’s what you can do.

“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬, ‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬

Paul says those believers who contemplate the Lord’s glory are being transformed into his image. To contemplate is to gaze attentively at something for a prolonged period of time. If I’m not seeing Jesus in my mirror, it’s probably because I haven’t been contemplating His beauty, and gazing at the reality that Christ lives in me by His Spirit.

That’s right! If you are a Christian, you are no longer just an individual. You are Christ in you—the hope of what? Oh yeah! Glory!

When you see Jesus alive in you, you’ll live out that glorious identity. For it’s not what you do that determines who you are. It’s who you are that determines what you do!

Pretty awesome, don’t you think?

“God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory.” Hebrews 2:10