Cropped Image!

How many times during your ‘perfect’ picture taking events have you had a surprise photo bomber in the background? Well, in my family there are more of those ‘perfect’ pictures than there are of, well let’s call them ‘normal’ pictures! Behind the scenes of my pictures a lot of cropping of the image has been done. Thank goodness for the editing button on the image gallery tab!

Our daily journey in life is a lot like those camera moments. How many times during the day have you thought to yourself, ‘I should have handled that moment better’? Personally I would like to ‘crop’ quite a few moments, actions and statements I have uttered. God tells us in Colossians 3:8-9 “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices”.

In 2 Timothy 3:2 we are told “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient, ungrateful and unholy”. I hate to admit that all these faults have been allowed into my life to some degree. Anger?…yes, slander?…yes, foul language?…yes…I think you get the picture without further elaboration. How many times have I wanted to ‘crop’ the image? The answer is a resounding “MANY”!

Thankfully, in Christ we have such an opportunity to ‘crop’ the image of our lives! Wonderful news to hear! 2 Corinthians 3:18 says “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.” Being ‘in Christ’ we are being constantly cropped so that we become more like our Savior. During those times that the Lord is transforming us into His image it can be unpleasant like all ‘correction’ can be. After all, who really enjoys the discipline that occurs when we make mistakes, no matter how small or large they may be?
God’s desire for us is summed up in many verses in the Bible. One such verse is Colossians 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”. God desires to ‘crop’ out our sinful nature and replace those photo bombed times with purer images. Ones that reflect Him. Thankfully God’s mercy and grace covers a multitude of sins! If we ask for forgiveness and seek repentance from God then He will faithfully see us through ‘cropped’ vision. He no longer sees us we see ourselves. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” We have had our very own image cropped.
The next time you need to crop an image on your camera, stop, and think about how God is faithfully cropping your life of all the negative things that have accumulated. Remind yourselves that the ‘photo bombed’ moments in your life are being erased by the perfect photographer!
So smile and say, “Cheese!”