Family Resemblance

It was pretty quiet when I went to the post office. There was only one other person going inside, someone whom I had met but whom I only knew just a little bit over our years in Dulce. We talked briefly and I confessed that I didn't even know her name. I knew her nickname but didn’t feel that it was my place to call her by it. To which she replied, "Just call me by my nickname. Everyone uses that name for me."

My first reaction was to feel honored by being able to freely use her nickname when I would see her again. But what also stood out to me was the close resemblance in the way that she spoke with that of her sister, whom I know much better. In the words she used, and the sound of her voice as she spoke, it was as if I was speaking to her sister.

That idea of family resemblance has occurred to me many times here in Dulce, as I have gotten to know multiple members of families. I see it between fathers and young sons, between fathers and grown-up sons, between mothers and daughters, between adult siblings, and even elderly siblings. It shows itself in the way that people may walk. The ways in which people may talk. It is even evident in facial expressions. In the time I spend with people here I continue to see ways in which people from families resemble each other.

As a pastor I think that the idea of family resemblance is important among those who have faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. In Romans 8:29 Paul writes:

"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."

There is a lot of theology packed into that verse, but what applies to this blog post is the idea in the phrase "to be conformed to the image of his Son." I believe that phrase teaches that as we live as followers of Jesus we are to be people who grow to be more and more like him.

That growth can take many forms, and I'll just name a few. More forgiving. More patient. More humble. More gentle. More generous. Less angry. Less self-righteous. If you have faith in Jesus this idea of being more like him in your daily life may already be on your radar. If not, then all you need to do is to ask him and he'll give you some guidance in what to be working on.

Looking a bit like my dad is fine, but what I really want is to look a bit more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ. May you also grow to resemble him more and  more.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.