Earlier this week, I was cleaning out a cabinet and found my husband’s grandmother’s silver gravy boat. It was quite tarnished so I washed it, dried it, applied silver polish and buffed it to a nice shine.  I don’t know if you can see it in this picture but there is a fancy L engraved in the center. Unless the light hits it just right, the monogram is easily missed. After all, when John’s “Mamaw” placed this lovely item on the table, it was the gravy or sauce which held everyone’s attention. Right?

I can see it now. The family gathered around the beautiful pedestal table. Laden with good food to eat, dressed in her finest linen or crochet tablecloth, set perfectly with linen napkins and forks on the left of the plate; knife and spoon on the right. The water glass at the tip of the knife with the cup and saucer just north and east of the spoon.  A beautiful display awaited the family. Grandfather sitting at the head of the table, carving the meat, Mamaw at the other end of the table sitting quietly with her hands folded in her lap, joyfully watching her children enjoying the fruit of her labors. The silver gravy boat would be passed around from loved one to the next. I love that scene!

One thing I noticed that when the silver is polished, it reflects things around it – like a mirror.  It looked pretty on the granite counter top but when I placed it on the wood chest, it took on a richer glow.

Do you see the monogram? Look closely.  The angle of the camera also determines the visibility.

We are much like the old silver gravy boat. An empty vessel ready to be filled. A clean, polished vessel.

Unless it is filled with gravy or sauce, it is just an object to look at. No nourishment for a hungry family. No sweetness to make the food even more delicious. Without Christ, there is an emptiness. An empty shell. But oh, what joy when we have the Lord dwelling in us. Overjoyed when we delight in His Word.

Just like the setting affected the look of the polished silver, Christ can shine through us best when we reflect Him. By reading His Word, prayer and fellowship with other believers. I don’t know about you, but I want my life to reflect Him. Does one need to search for the monogram of my heart – Christ living in me?