Years ago, I loved the MTV show Made. Every week MTV would use their vast resources to completely transform a teenager. They may take the smartest and unathletic kid and turn them into a varsity athlete, or take the biggest jock and transform them into a stage worthy ballet dancer. Thanks to the vast resources of MTV, they were able to provide teens with the best coaches, trainers, equipment, etc., all of which gave them a huge boost. Yet, the kids still had to put in the hard work. They had to get up early, stay up late, skip fun nights with friends, experience bad days, etc. While every once and awhile a kid would quit or fail to achieve their goal, the overwhelming majority of the time the transformation was successful. The combination of the teen’s desire to reach their goal and MTV’s resources was enough to make the transformation happen.
A large part of why I liked this show was that, deep down, I wanted MTV to show up at MY door and choose ME. The only problem I would have had was trying to decide what I wanted to be transformed into. I think that’s a lot of us. We carry around this dissatisfaction with our lives, secretly hoping we will be magically changed into a dream version of ourselves. Here’s an amazing truth: it is possible to be transformed into a dream version of ourselves! In fact, God already has a plan in place for us. It may not be the version of ourselves WE dream of, but it is the version GOD dreams of. Take a moment to really let the following passage sink in.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
Paul is making a powerful point here. If we have been saved, then we have been powerfully transformed. First, Jesus’ death transforms us for all eternity, saving us from death and allowing us to spend eternity with God in a perfect Heaven. I would say that going from these frail and temporary bodies to perfect eternal ones is a pretty big transformation! Beyond that, Paul also tells us that we are transformed to live differently. We’re not transformed to try to conform to whatever we desire that day, or whatever the world tells us we should be. No, we are transformed to be more like Christ. We are transformed to love God and others as Christ has loved us. THAT my friends is the transformation we should chase after. To always remember that Jesus has transformed us both to spend eternity with him and to love others here and now.
