You Are What You Eat

When I was a baby, I loved sweet potatoes…as in I would only eat sweet potatoes. Like any good parent, mine would offer me other varieties of mushed baby food, but sweet potatoes were the only thing they didn’t have to force feed me. The story goes that I started turning orange, and my first-time parents were concerned and took me to the doctor. Remember how your parents always told you that you are what you eat? As an adult, I’ve wondered if this story could actually be possible. Spoiler alert… it totally is. It’s called carotenemia: a medical condition that causes the skin to turn an orange pigment because of increased carotene (found in orange foods like carrots & SWEET POTATOES) in your blood. I ate an ungodly amount of sweet potatoes and an ungodly amount of nothing else, and then my parents had an orange baby on their hands. The good news is I’m no longer orange and I still love sweet potatoes, but only a normal amount. But for foods that contain carotene, and maybe other foods with pigmented compounds— you are what you eat.

I think that this same concept applies to our spiritual life. In the spiritual, we are what we behold. Paul said it more eloquently in 2 Corinthians 3:18. Here it is in two different translations:
 
“And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.” (AMP)

“We can all draw close to him with the veil removed from our faces. And with no veil we all become like mirrors who brightly reflect the glory of the Lord Jesus. We are being transfigured into his very image as we move from one brighter level of glory to another. And this glorious transfiguration comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (TPT)

In our time with God, Paul tells us that this transformation comes from the Spirit of God. In other words, there is nothing we do or can do to “make” this happen. The transformation process, from glory to glory, is His doing. There is no striving or pressure or condemnation, but there is rest and peace and love. He is transforming you into His image from one degree or glory to the next.
 
As we spend time reflecting and searching out the mysteries of who God is, we become more like Him. We are transformed from glory to glory as we seek His face; we become more Christlike as we come to know Him more. Christlikeness looks like fruit of the Spirit: “joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-23 TPT). In His presence, His Spirit testifies that we are children of God (Romans 8:16) and aligns us with Truth about our identities. The best resource I know is Neil Anderson’s Who I Am in Christ handout. My challenge for you is to go through these Scriptural truths and be real with yourself. Which of these are easier for you to believe? Which are harder? Ask the Lord to send His Spirit to empower you to believe the things that He says about you. Soak in His presence today. Behold who He is, and from that place, let Him speak to who He has created you to be.