“Reflection is the change in direction of a wavefront at an interface between two different media so that the wavefront returns into the medium from which it originated.” wikipedia
“The throwing back by a body or surface of light, heat, or sound without absorbing it.” oxforddictionaries
“the production of an image by or as if by a mirror — the action of bending or folding back.”merriam-webster
Pastor Carl H. Stevens made an observation, “God’s nature reflects Divine light, but moral light is merely a reflection of the best human nature has to offer—created light, which has its beginning in human integrity.”
So, it appears that a man reflects. The reflection bends or folds back from within a man, what consists of that man’s “identity.” Let’s look closer.
“For as he (a man) thinks in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:6
From Psychology Today, Susan Nolen-Hoeksema contends. “The organization of our brain sets us up for overthinking,” The thoughts and memories stored in our brains don’t sit there in isolation; they are woven together in intricate networks of associations.”
“While this spiderweb organization of the brain greatly increases our efficiency of thinking, it also makes it easy for us to overthink.””Being in a bad mood makes negative memories more accessible… it’s easier to see interconnections between the bad things in your life. And the more you overthink, the easier it is to do it in the future.”
She adds, “negative emotions … impose a lens that shows a distorted, narrow view of our world.”… “we see only what our negative mood wants us to see.”
So, with overthinking, distorted lens, and interconnections of bad thoughts, true reflections seem impossible.
This kind of problem rings loud with the psychological “self-realized” advocates. These folks, miss the fragile reality that, “man, in his best estate, is altogether vanity.” Psalm 39:5 They want to discover themselves as a method and means to personal fulfillment, but the throw back of fallen man reflects only a distortion.
Isaiah tells us, “The whole head is sick …the whole heart is faint.”
A Christian can reflect this spider’s web — depraved, wanton, licentious. Also he can reflect his religious, do-good, ego-driven thought-conglomeration. But, he or she knows fully well neither are acceptable to God, and they represent a malignancy to the rest of humanity.
A Christian has another option — to reflect the very nature of God with new and living equipment — A new spirit to reflect God’s Spirit and a new heart to reflect God’s own Nature.
“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you…”
“And I will put My spirit within you,” Ezekiel 36:26-27
We get the New heart and Spirit pronto! But the reflection requires a process:
The Midland Reporter-Telegram
“Sometimes we expect God simply zaps the junk out of our lives when we enter into relationship with him. But that is not the refining process — not for gold, and not for us. God loves us too much to leave us as we are because our impure selves cannot reflect clearly all of who he is, and our fullest joy is realized in the growing brilliance of our reflection of him in our lives.”
“The refining process is hot. To refine gold, heat must be applied to force the impurities to the surface. As the impurities rise, they are removed and more heat is applied. This process continues and continues, heat is applied and re-applied, until the gold is pure. The refiner knows the gold is pure when he looks into the gold and sees his clear reflection.”
“The process ends when we meet Jesus face to face, and he looks into our faces and sees his clear reflection.”
In summary, “we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so that we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature.” Hippolytus, third c. A.D. He quotes 2 Peter 1:4. We will enjoy Him in the end. Love ya
Amazing!
TY, p.T
thanks