Family resemblances just fascinate me. I love to look at children and see who they resemble. I especially love to see those who resemble both sides of the family so clearly. It's amazing to me how God can take a child and instill into him or her characteristics that so greatly resemble two totally unrelated people!
My middle child is like that. She looks so much like both my husband and my sister. It's just amazing to me!
But, another tendency is just as fascinating – the tendency of children to be nearly carbon copies of one parent or the other. Apparently in my husband's family, the genes passed down from father to son are very strong. Doug looks, acts, and sounds very much like his father. And, the likeness has been passed down yet again to our son. Occasionally Steven will do or say something that reminds us that he is related to me after all, but for the most part he is his father, grandfather, and (from what I've been told) great-grandfather made over!
And just in case there are any doubts...
Wouldn't you agree that there are a few similarities?
As I looked through old pictures of Doug recently, it was a delight to me to see how alike my husband and son are. It's almost like I am getting a glimpse into my beloved's childhood – understanding him just that much more.
The consensus around my extended family is that I personally greatly resemble my mother. Although we aren't quite the carbon copies that Doug and Steven are, there are many ways I am like my mother. And, I'm not ashamed of that. I think I have a fantastic mother, and I don't mind a bit looking, talking, or even acting like her.
But, there is Someone I'd like to resemble even more strongly. You see, even more than being the child of my mother and father, I am a child of my heavenly Father, the God of the universe. Through the blood of Christ, I have been adopted into His family. My name – Christian – means little Christ. It is a reference to the very concept that I should look like Jesus – that I should be even more of a carbon copy of Him than Steven is of Doug or Doug is of his father.
As much as I feel honored when people tell me how much I remind them of my mother, I would love even more for people to look at me and tell me how much they see Jesus in me. I have so far to go. So much growing and changing to do. But, that is what I desire. That is my goal.
To look like Jesus.
1 comment:
Wow! They really are carbon copies!!
People always say our kids look like me but if they could see pictures of Joel as a child they would see him in each child, too. Especially Sam. He's the most like Joel.
Funny thing- we skyped for the first time with Joel's sister and her family a couple of months ago. Our niece looks just like Ellie, only a few months younger and slightly pudgier. Honestly, they look more alike than our twin nephews do!
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