America loves dramatic “before and after” stories. We can’t tear ourselves away from The Biggest Loser, What Not to Wear, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. We cheer with the crowd when they shout “move that bus!” We impatiently wait on the edge of our seat for the ugly duckling turned swan to be revealed. And we groan when the number on the scale is far too small.
I’d like to propose a new reality show. This “before and after” will last much longer than any fashion update, hairstyle makeover, or home remodeling. In fact, this “before and after” will have an eternal impact:
Extreme Makeover: Spiritual Edition
Let’s consider the show’s premise. “Before” the makeover the contestant was truly ugly. Her life was futile and dark. She was separated from God, insensitive, and given over to all impurity and greed. But then the truth of Jesus was applied to her heart. She was transformed and her old life became new! (See Ephesians 4:17-24.)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV
The “after” is indeed glorious! She looks more and more like Jesus every day as she seeks to live a righteous and holy life. She clothes herself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 She is patient and quickly forgives others as God forgave her. And most importantly, she covers herself with love. (See Colossians 3:12-14.)
Now this “before and after” is truly something to cheer about. Are you cheering? Crying? Sitting on the edge of your seat?
And what about you? Have you had a spiritual makeover? It’s never too late for an “after.”
What changes have you noticed in your “after salvation” life?
Now that would be a great reality show Kathy! I accepted Christ when I was seven years old right before I was about to go into the hospital to have open heart surgery. My grandparent’s pastor’s wife took me for a ride in her car and shared the Gospel with me as they didn’t know if I would survive. I did survive obviously. But my spiritual growth was in spurts. My parents didn’t go to church at that time and I didn’t have the ongoing teaching and disciplining I needed. It wasn’t until many years later that I felt such a tug on my heart by the Holy Spirit that I found a church and was burning to learn more. That was about 18 years ago and I’ve not been the same since. The more I know Jesus, the more I love Him and want to obey His Word. The fruit of the Spirit is more evident in my life. I still have a long way to go but I know I am growing and those I know well have commented on the changes they see. I praise God for that as He gets all the glory.
I loved this post.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Debbie, thank you for sharing your “after” story with us! Praise God that our spiritual “makeover” is an ongoing process and He never gives up on us. He patiently continues to make us into the likeness of Christ.
Answering that question could take a while. What’s interesting is that I was save as a very young child. But, it wasn’t until I realized that Jesus wanted a personal relationship with me that I truly changed, transformed really. I was depressed, had a bad temper and even angry to name a few. And now, well, I’m not those things. What’s awesome about a spiritual makeover with the Holy Spirit as the stylist is that we can continue to get better and better as life goes on. Great analogy, Kathy!
Kari, my walk with Christ is similar. I was saved at the age of 8, but it wasn’t until my mid-20’s that I “got” it. That’s when the real makeover began. Oh, but God still has so much “making-over” still to do in me!
I also was saved at a very young age…5 years old. My adult sister-in-law told me that I couldn’t possibly know what I was doing because I was so young. I paid no attention to her at the time, but in my teens, I began to wonder if I truly had been saved. God is so good, though. He began to show me that I had known what decision I made way back then, and just as my physical body had a lot of growing to do, so did my spiritual body. And now that I’m not at all young anymore, my spiritual body continues to grow, and hopefully won’t quit until I go to be with The Lord forever.
Jane, thank you for sharing your testimony with us. I believe many of us who made decisions at a young age reach a point where we have some doubts and questions. But you are right! God is good! Thank you for your faithful service and discipleship. You are a blessing!
I was saved a little later in life I was 35. One of my memories is about 6 months afterwards a manager came up to me at work and said: “I don’t know what it is, but you smile more now”.
Before that I was really serious, never smiled or laughed much, sad.
I never thought of it as being a before and after me, but I guess it was. Thanks for the great analogy Kathy
Thanks Carol for sharing your story with us! I love it when people notice the “after!”