Who do you measure yourself against? Your best friend, the Pastor’s wife, your favourite celebrity? Who flashes in your mind when you wonder if you’re good enough, have done enough, or are succeeding or failing? Your mother, the superwoman at work, that perfect church lady who seems to do it all? How does that ideal sculpture in your mind’s eye make you feel? Deflated or puffed up? Neither is the right response.

“And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:4-5 NASB

A Living Stone. Alive but firm in who He is. Christ came to show us how to live and calls us to follow Him. Him! Not anyone else no matter how good they look or sound.

Jesus wasn’t concerned with how He looked in other people’s eyes or what they thought of Him. Isaiah 53 tells us there was nothing about Him to attract people. He was a poor carpenter’s son, travelling around the countryside living off the charity of others and causing a disturbance everywhere He went. It’s not exactly role model material, especially according to our modern world’s standards.

But Christ knew who He was and whose He was. The Son of God, part of the perfect Triune community, Chosen, Precious.

This is who we are to measure ourselves against. He is who we want to emulate. He is our goal. Just like Christ knew His identity was rooted in God, we have to remember where our identity lies.

The Living Stone is our Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20), and because of Christ we also are living stones being used to build a church that glorifies, honours and draws others to Him. We become living stones to those around us as we embrace the Rock and imitate the Living Stone. The raging waters of time erode our lives, the days we have left, to reflect His glory and tell of His love. Your pulse may start racing, foot tapping, and thoughts jumping. Stone doesn’t move or change, you say to yourself. But remember the living part. Firm in your faith but alive and open to being formed into the image of Christ.

How? Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and teach you, then wait and listen for His instructions. Watch how other godly women are honouring the Lord, then ask the Holy Spirit what He wants you to learn from them. Not to emulate them, but the Christ-likeness you see in them.

It took many stones to build a temple and none were exactly the same. They were hand-carved and unique, each with their own imperfections, and beauty. We also, as living stones, are being uniquely sculpted for a specific purpose by the Master Craftsman.

You are beautiful in your uniqueness. When tempted to measure yourself against that flash picture of the perfect woman, remember Christ instead. Take a few moments to imagine what the Lord might have looked like, imagine looking deep into that face and what you would see. Now strive to look like Him.

“We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah; our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like Him.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 The Message

Sisters, the enemy wants us to compare, assume and judge each other. There is nothing he wants more than for us to believe God is holding out on us, and doesn’t love us. It’s a big fat lie!! We are only to measure ourselves against one person, Jesus Christ, and check our internal mirror to see how we are changing into His likeness. He is faithful to see it to completion.

Be well!

Patricia