Now all of this is background for a thought I had yesterday. We were sharing the Lord's Supper, and I thought about relationships and the self-examination we are suppose to do during the Supper. I thought of Paul's comment about how he no longer lived, but Christ was the one living in him (Galatians 2:20). He was basically saying that everything in his life was now seen through the filter of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:16-17 says essentially the same thing!). Everything that happened to him, every relationship he had and every hardship and blessing he experienced, was filtered through Jesus. Every wrong that was done to him, every cruel word or action was filtered through the screen of Jesus.

What really struck me about these few wandering thoughts of mine was this: what a completely different life we can have if we filter everything through Jesus! When we remember his sacrifice, his pain, his suffering, his love and apply those to the happenings and relationships in our own lives, then our world will take on a different appearance. Our relationships will take on a different feel and closeness because our feelings and words first pass through the filter of Jesus.

What a different life we can have!

Paul is writing from experience when he encourages folks in Philippi with these words: "Have this among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus ...." (Philippians 2:5 RSV). He had done that personally. He understood what it meant to look at things through the mind and eyes of Christ. He was willing to give up his own self-interest, his own rights, and his very own life. He was honest when he said, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

How about applying the "filter of Jesus" to your life?

I have to admit that I am still struggling with doing that all the time, because there are times when I don't want to give up my rights to judge, feel hurt, and retaliate. Paul's words are a good reminder to me! How about you?

 

Print this Article Send it to a Friend Heartlight encourages you to share this material with others in church bulletins, personal emails and other non-commercial uses. Please see our Usage Guidelines for more information.	Balancing a Tilting Boat Our First Line of Defense A Balanced Woman of God Messages from the Heart
	ALL of Heartlight        --- ARTICLES   A Taste of Home   Caring Touch   Diary of God   Hope for Life   Hope from the Hill Country   Just for Men   Just for Women   Leading in Hope   Love, Sex & Marriage   Making Life Work   Prayer for the Nation   Single...Not Alone   Special Features   Timely Truths   Together in His Grace   Two Minute Meditations        --- DEVOTIONALS   Charles Spurgeon   Daily Wisdom   My Utmost for His Highest   Praying with Paul   Quotemeal   Today's Verse   What Jesus Did

© 2007 Russ Lawson, Messages from the Heart. All rights reserved.

Title: "The Jesus Filter"
Author: Russ Lawson
Publication Date: February 17, 2007

Cinderella - The Love of a Daddy and His Princess by Steven Curtis Chapman Steven Curtis Chapman reminds dads to enjoy the everyday moments with their daughters. They will soon be gone.

Russ Lawson is a former missionary to Africa and minister in Ohio. He now works with World Christian Literature Outreach and writes a weekly email devotional, Messages from the Heart. For more information about Russ, click here.

More Heartlight Feeds

Get Heartlight articles and devotionals by email FREE every day! Daily Heartlight Today's Verse What Jesus Did! Quotemeal

More Information