Christian Living

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When it comes to home décor, I love the simplicity of mission styling. I’m enthralled with Tuscany, warmed by a cozy lodge look and feel breezy-free when in a room that’s Nantucket nautical. My family room combines modern glass with old world trunks, and my dining room is a royal battle between Queen Anne and the queen of southern magnolias. Upstairs, the primary colors that paint my children’s bed and bath rooms scream of Ringling Brothers.

With so many styles represented in my home, some people describe my décor in one word: confused.

I prefer thinking of it as an expression of the many facets that comprise me. Malarkey or not, this explanation works for me.

Overall, I’m satisfied with my décor, especially after experiencing some other kinds. I attended a shower once where the furniture was so plump, rounded and firmly-packed, it was hard to hoist yourself onto the sofa, much less stay put as this floral monster slowly nudged you towards the floor. Another time, I visited a home decorated in Artic Blizzard, so startling white that you needed sunglasses to bare the glare. The owners, nervously freaked over their white/white color scheme, would have surely asked the Lord Himself to stay off the carpet.

Despite my mixed-up décor, though, I’ve often received this compliment about my house: “I feel so comfortable in your home.”

Personally, I can’t think of a more flattering comment someone could make about my home. It would also be a flattering comment to hear about yourself, especially as a Christian. Do people feel comfortable when they’re around us?

There will always be people who’d rather put their La-Z-Boy under a hornet’s nest than spend five seconds with Christians. Some are angrily offended by our faith, while others are drawn to us. In the middle, we find seekers as well as those who disagree but desire to peacefully co-exist.

The question for us is, how do we present ourselves to them? Let’s face it, some professing Christians are as comfy as a thin mattress on bad box springs. We’ve met the ones who look like they’re in a persistent state of constipation, pinched and pained, humorlessly and haughtily judging every living creature. We’ve got aggressors, and escaping them is like trying to struggle free from a butterfly chair, circa 1960’s. We know the talkers who fail to be walkers when action is needed, and the luke warmers who squash God into one Sunday hour, but otherwise embrace the world. No wonder these people make others uncomfortable—and what a shame, because they don’t reflect the Christ they claim.

In Excepts from Divine Personality of Jesus,1 Mother M. Angelica, founder of the Eternal Word Television Network, wrote, “Jesus made Himself available to everyone. Unlike former Prophets and the religious men of His day, who often kept themselves aloof, Jesus was easy to approach and always ready to give His help. He was never too busy or too tired to bless little children, touch a leper, or preach to those who longed for God's Word.”

Just as we may have a variety of tastes that express who we are, so should we express the many qualities reflecting Jesus. Continuing with her writing, Mother M. Angelica describes what a believer should strive for:

“He looks at Jesus in His strength and tries to be strong. He sees Jesus gentle to the crowds and he controls his anger. He admires the Mercy of Jesus and he forgives seventy times seven. He feels the Compassion of Jesus and he becomes sensitive to the needs of others. He is humbled by the humility of Jesus and he conquers his pride. He sees Jesus heroic, courageous and unafraid and he is assured. He watches Jesus as He answers His enemies in a serene tone of voice—truthful, without human respect, with perfect self-control and he tries to be like Him. He imitates the Master's sense of loyalty, zeal, simplicity, nobility and loving qualities to the best of his ability. This becomes a way of life for a Christian, for he is not satisfied with giving his God thanksgiving, he desires to give Him perfect praise by imitation. Most of all, he imitates the Master's way of loving—without counting the cost—even unto death.”

During His earthly ministry, some people received Jesus while others rejected Him. Such holds true today and we can’t control peoples’ comfort thermostats (though we can be sensitive to them when witnessing). We can, however, experience the feather bed joy of knowing that we “who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)

We’re like mirrors reflecting Jesus and mirrors make nice décor. Let’s please the Lord and try to win others by displaying ours— accurately and prominently.


©Donna G. Morton, January 2007


1 Electronic Copyright © 1999 EWTN

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