Unrecognizable

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

Have you ever seen a person bound up with depression receive the joy of the Holy Ghost? Have you ever seen a person driven by hopelessness receive the hope that salvation brings? Have you ever seen an aimless person receive the purpose and calling of God? There was a time in my life where my parents’ God became my God and their faith became my faith. When that happened what had merely been a foregone conclusion became a life filled with passion. I was changed. I was yielded. I was unrecognizable.

Joseph was faithful. His life didn’t exactly turn out as planned. He had dreams. He knew God’s purpose and plan for his life. He would be a great man…but then his brothers, fueled by jealously, sold him. Most of us know the story. He ended up in Egypt, in the house of Potiphar. The Bible tells us in Genesis 39:2 that, “The Lord was with Joseph.” (What a testimony to have!) He became a prosperous man. A man of wealth. His master, Potiphar, saw that the Lord was with him. (Sidenote: isn’t it interesting how Joseph’s own brothers couldn’t see this, but Potiphar could.) Joseph must’ve thought, surely this was how his dream would come to pass. And then, through no fault of his own, he ended up in prison. One experience like that is enough to make a man bitter, but two? Surely he must’ve eaten pizza before bed the night those dreams came to him as a child. But no, Joseph stayed the course. He remained faithful, even in prison. Verse 21 of Genesis 39 says that the Lord, “Gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.” Skipping ahead, two years later, Pharaoh has a couple of dreams no one can interpret. Joseph is brought from prison, before Pharaoh and interprets his dreams. And the rest is history. In Egypt, Joseph was second only to Pharaoh. In the course of time, his brothers, at the command of their father, came to Egypt for food. Genesis 42:8 tells us, “And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.” Joseph was no longer the scrawny little brother they sold into slavery. Joseph’s faithfulness had put him in a place of affluence and influence. Faithfully persevering through trials will make you unrecognizable.

Moses was hungry. Not for food or drink, but for God himself. So hungry, in fact, that when , in an earlier passage, God told Moses that He would give him a monumental victory but would send an angel in his stead, Moses would not go. He would not go from the presence of God, instead he drew near. When all of the Israelites drew back and stood afar off for fear of being consumed, he drew near. Genesis 34:28-30 “And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. And it came to pass, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.” His hunger for the person and presence of God physically transformed him! So much so that the fear the people had for God grew to include Moses as the glory of God shone from his face. Hungering and thirsting after righteousness will make you unrecognizable.

Paul was willing and obedient. Acts 9 relays the story of Paul. The chapter begins with him as Saul, “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.” On his way to Damascus he saw a great light, was knocked to the ground, and heard Jesus speak to him. Saul had a choice here. He could have doubled down and hardened his heart. He could’ve become defensive and argumentative. Spoiler alert: he didn’t. After being rebuked, his immediate response was obedience. “Lord what wilt though have me do?” That must’ve delighted Jesus. Immediate and total willingness to obey. I can tell you, as a parent, there’s nothing more frustrating than asking your child to do something and having them respond with, “Why?” (Because, I said so, that’s why!) As Saul, he was completely convinced that what he was doing was right. His path was set. As Paul, he was immediately responsive to what God demanded of him. As a result, God allowed him to become one of the greatest apostles in history and write over half the books in the New Testament. Being willing and obedient to the purpose and plan of God will make you unrecognizable.

Being unrecognizable is entirely up to you. Salvation is a gift. God gave his Son freely that we could be reconciled to him. However, we have a part to play. Whether we are transformed is utterly in our hands. Ephesians 4:22-24 instructs us, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” We put off the old man. We put on the new man. The ball is in your court. It’s your choice. Be unrecognizable.