From the Inside Out

The transformation is complete.

When my husband and I found out that a little one was on the way, our home began changing almost immediately. A teddy bear here, a baby blanket there, and soon our minimalist contemporary style had strong childish influences. It began upstairs, in what eventually became our daughter’s room. The wall color became more nursery-like, the decor became baby friendly, and the closet’s contents shrank in size (not quantity) to about one one-hundredth of their previous size. As friends and family came to visit, their comments were all nearly the same: “Wow…..this place is looking pretty different.”

And once she was born? Oh, yes…..the changes continued. From the infant swing in the family room to the tiny clothes in the dryer to the bottles in the refrigerator to the baby tub in the bathroom, it was obvious that things had changed and that something new was happening.

With her growing more and more, and with summertime encouraging outdoor play, the changes are not limited to the inside of the house any more. I marvel at it every time I approach the house after running errands; the house looks really different now than it did even a year ago, much less when it was a bachelor pad. As you drive up now, you see a variety of rainbow-colored plastic items livening up the yard: a pink and purple pinwheel in the flower bed, a green toddler chair on the porch, a yellow tricycle on the walkway, a blue swimming pool in the driveway, and a multi-colored playground in the backyard. Yes, things are definitely different around here, and now it’s obvious to outsiders, too. Gone are the days when neighbors and passersby might have been unaware that a child lived here. The changes began slowly, on the inside, from one room to another, and no longer can be contained. The transformation is complete.

As I drove up to the house this morning, I thought about all of the changes and how it reminds me of what God does in each of us. When we first meet Him, the changes begin. A shifted attitude here, a more loving approach there, and soon our worldly lifestyle develops a hint that something new is going on. As we open the door and let Him into our lives, He moves from room to room, changing what needs to be changed and adding His touches where they are needed. He doesn’t blow through like a hurricane and change everything at once, but nudges us and makes gradual adjustments to make us more like Him. At first the changes are evident only to ourselves, and then to those closest to us. We seem different, and it is clear that something has happened in our lives to change us. Gradually, though, the improvements are clear to everyone, even if they didn’t know us before. The changes seep their way outside and, before we know it, the light of Jesus Christ is shining throughout our lives. There is something about us that people notice, even if they can’t quite put their fingers on it, and it is clear that there is something different going on within us. It shows. It can’t be held inside any longer, but instead radiates outward for everyone to enjoy. The transformation is not yet complete, but God has promised that He will keep working on us until it is finished.

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Be conscientious about yourself and your teaching; persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:15-16)