Behold

Behold

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

ONE OF MY CHILDREN’S FAVORITE PLACES to visit is the Science Museum of Minnesota. With more than 370,000 square feet at its location on the banks of the Mississippi River, it includes a giant 60-foot astronaut, a ship, a triceratops, a mummy, fantastic LEGO creations, and much more. More than a million people experience the museum or its traveling exhibitions each year. It’s a sight to behold!

One of the exhibits we always wander through is the Human Body Gallery and an area called “Wonder Years” that details early human development in babies and kids ages zero to five. One of the exhibits includes oversize pairs of glasses that—when placed on your face—allow you to visualize how much and how far infants can see when they are newborn, one month old, and three months old. It’s fun to peer through the thick glasses and gaze with fuzzy vision around the room, imagining how little they can see.

Newborns, for instance, can only focus on objects that are eight to ten inches from their face. Though that small distance might seem problematic, in reality it’s the perfect distance for them to be able to focus on their caregiver when being held. Nothing matters beyond beholding that person’s face.

As God’s children, we too have the ability to see him face-to-face. The word behold is used in the Bible to draw the reader’s attention (“Look!”). But in 2 Corinthians 3:18, the Greek word for behold, katoptrizó, means to reflect as a mirror. When an infant looks at its caregiver, it finds its identity in that gaze. Similarly, when we behold Jesus, we find ourselves reflected—with love—in his gaze. As we behold God’s glory, we are able to reflect him more and more. And when we do, we become more like him, able to extend that same grace and love to others.

Lord, help us to behold—and reflect—your glory. As we seek to follow you, may beholding your glory help transform us into your image. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: In what ways does beholding God and his nature help us to become more like him?