Our lives are an example to others of who God is.

 You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.”
1 Timothy 4:12 New Living Translation

This picture happened by accident.

If you knew my dad, you might think that I took a picture of one of his paintings and posted it in this blog. However, I took this picture in Yellowstone National Park. I then edited it to look like a painting, but that was not my intent when I started working on it.

I loved how this picture was composed and wanted to make it look like I had captured it on film instead of a digital sensor. I have a program that will make this transition for me. After making those changes to the picture I noticed that it looked something like a painting, one that my dad would have painted. After sitting with this picture for a while and making both macro and micro adjustments, I was left with this picture.

I remember how my father spent hours conceptualizing a painting. Working off of pictures that he had taken, or been given, he would transform those pictures into paintings. My father has died, but I still wish that I could sit down with him and talk about how he composed a picture, how he manipulated the light, and what his vision was for a completed picture. There is so much more that I could learn from him.

Paul knew that Timothy needed to be an example to the people he pastored. His speech, life, love, faith and purity were all to reflect Christ. Paul knew that the community which surrounded Timothy would be influenced by his life.

By his example, my father has had an impact on my photography. You and I have an impact on the people around us as we live out our Christian faith. May God empower us to reflect his Son in our speech, life, love, faith and purity.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado