By beholding God, we become mirrors

^{by: Carole L. Haines}
The greatest characteristic a Christian can exhibit is this completely unveiled openness before God, which allows that person’s life to become a mirror for others. When the Spirit fills us, we are transformed, and by beholding God we become mirrors.
(Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest)

I was truly struck by the simplicity and beauty of this statement by Oswald Chambers, “by beholding God we become mirrors.” In the simple practice of sitting quietly before our Lord, breathing Him in and out, basking in His presence; we become like Him.  I have come to find that this transformation the Bible talks about, has much to do with yielding to what God has already placed in us.  The raw material is already present in us, through belief in Christ alone. A description of how early mirrors were made gives us a perfect picture of this transformation.
Early mirrors were created by simply polishing a suitable substance until it became highly reflective. Examples from the Neolithic era have been discovered, made by grinding down obsidian rocks and polishing them to an incredible sheen. They have remarkable properties, allowing even subtle details to be clearly seen in their reflections. (Wisegeek)
Christ made us a New Creation when we believed; the old is gone, the new has come (2 Cor. 5). We are a finished work, as far as our legal standing before God, justified through faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).
But there is a process in becoming. Even as the Obsidian rock needed to be polished to bring forth the luster within, we need to be polished by God, to bring forth His Image, His likeness. John said, “He must increase, I must decrease.” (John 3:30 NASB)
The polishing process of God can be quite difficult for us, at times.  The pressure of the clothe, the continuous rubbing; going in circles, again and again. Going over that same spot, that stubborn part of our lives that just doesn’t want to yield to the touch of God. And yet, His gentle perseverance of never leaving nor forsaking us, never giving up on us.  His grace of loving us too much to leave us the way we are.  His precious promise to finish the work He has begun; all cause us to relinquish ourselves to His tender care.  In the end, God has another mirror on the earth to reflect His light, you and me.
² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:2-4 NASB)