No One Else Quite Can

Every woman has a calling to be both a work of art that reflects God, and an artist who carries out the creation mandate by shaping the raw landscape she lives in. This great adventure of becoming and creating, is the way we can find our identity and purpose as women. Not only will this transform us, but the beauty of a woman who is living this out will affect everyone around her.

2 Corinthians 3 talks about a glory that radiated off of Moses’ face when he came out of the presence of the Lord, but he would put on a veil because he didn’t want the Israelites to watch it fade. Paul says that the Israelites still have a veil of blindness over their hearts because the veil “is removed in Christ.” (2 Cor. 3: 14) But then the chapter goes on to say that “we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3: 18) You bear the image of God in your womanhood, and you are “transformed into the same image from glory to glory” as you fall in love with God more intimately. Though the chapter ends with this thought, chapter four opens with an interesting addition: “Therefore, since we have this ministry...” I missed this connection for years because of the chapter division, but it is so clear that ‘this ministry’ is referring back to the themes in chapter three. We know they are connected because of the word ‘therefore’. As believers are transformed into the image of God, they reflect His glory off of their face just as Moses’ face did.

This is a ministry. Every face is entirely unique, and if you shine the same light on every face, every one will reflect the light off differently. Besides the fact that God delights to know you, a major reason why He so urgently pursues your heart is because you reflect aspects of His character that no one else quite can. That’s a thought we don’t hear a lot: you have a ministry to people simply by becoming who you were created to be. A heart fully alive and responsive to God is a powerful ministry. Martha Graham has said: “Each of us express something about God. “It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.”