This morning we looked at another description of God’s people in the Bible: our identity as agents of transformation. Ian Coffey writes that “every one of us can be an agent of transformation to our own families, our own communities, our nation and our world.” (Ian Coffey, ‘The Contemplative Minister,’ P 33), a point of view Paul illustrates when he writes: ‘Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ (2 Cor 3:17-18)
We are not secret agents (like James Bond or George Smiley!) but are nonetheless working for God, seeking to be salt and light in our communities (Matt 5:13-16) God is the One who transforms us; our part in this process is to spend time with Him, contemplating His glory, learning from Jesus who sought only to do His Father’s will (see John 12:27-28, John 8:29). The way to be an agent of transformation is to live humbly for God’s glory, marrying faith with obedience to God’s word. (Matt 7:21-26, James 2:17-25)
Transformation comes one person at a time! When we look at some of the historical changes wrought in society through Christians, we see how it all starts with one person on fire for God. Christians have built hospitals, started schools, worked to alleviate poverty, fought against slavery and prostitution and worked to bring God’s love into every part of the world. Charities such as Open Doors, One By One, Tear Fund, MAF and the Salvation Army to name just a few have brought great transformation to our world as individuals followed Christ’s rule. We all have a high and holy calling, and yet this starts small… in the home, in our families, in our communities, where we model Christ’s constancy, love and kindness to those around us.
Our identity today as an agent of transformation starts with our contemplation of Christ, with our personal relationship with God, but then it spills over into our attitudes, our thoughts, our words, our actions. What matters is that we seek God’s face, listen to His heart, and respond to His word. He is the one who transforms, but He is looking for willing servants whose aim, like Jesus’s, is to glorify the Father in every possible way.