On any given day we can consume hundreds of images through our eyes. Through the deceptive power of advertisements, most of these images look the same. Celebrities sell hair and skin products that claim to work when it’s actually their own DNA that has afforded them their appearances. Athletes sell power drinks and sneakers with the promise that customers will be able to perform like them. Unnatural foods are advertised to be filled with vitamins and minerals but at the expense of all the fat and sugar consumers would have to consume first. So why do we enjoy being lied to? Why do we insist on believing the propaganda? Conformity.
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
From our multivitamins to where we send our children to school, there’s a rat race to success that demand we conform. God created us to be about family, friendships, and tribes, no man is an island unto himself. There lies the deception, these daily images tell us that buying or using products will guarantee that we will belong. The world fights for our attention, as we focus on its systems and mindsets that are contrary to Kingdom principles, we gradually conform.
What is life without God? The world shows us what we ought to look like to gain its favor and “love”. These things can be bought, we only need to look at the top 1% of this nation. These images we uphold, daily are transforming our true purpose which is to be like Christ. Selflessness, long suffering, compassion, humility are not the characteristics of this world but of heaven; a supernatural way of living that guarantees our eternity with God. Life with Him demands our submission, our total focus, and in part, it’s because God knew that sin would tempt our eyes to look away from Him.
Philippians 3:8
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
This world demands to define our value. That designer bag, those diamonds and jewels, the shiny fast car, and for what? All things will pass away only the Word will remain. It’s great to have nice things and to earn money that we can charitably give away, the problem lies in the imagery. Who are we trying to look like? Who we trying to be? Our race is the opposite of the world’s, it requires a daily transformation, sanctification, and consecration into the image of Christ. This means that being like Jesus is the key to prospering as our soul prospers, He is our way into heaven, our truth against the world’s deceptions, and the life we are running after. When the world tempts us with a million images we can stand on the certainty that we are becoming more like Him, our reflection is of our King, soon to return.
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