When my husband and I decided to move our family from Oregon to Utah, it was quite a change. I didn’t expect the long winters or the hot summers, but Utah was—and still is—a beautiful place. After living there for three years, I began working as a substitute teacher in several school districts.
One of the things I was often complimented on was how peaceful I seemed, even while dealing with challenging students. Don’t get me wrong—I love teaching kids—but this job was not always easy. Teachers and faculty would say, “You have such a calming spirit.” What they didn’t realize was that it wasn’t me, but the Holy Spirit in me, keeping me steady.
Substitute teaching comes with many challenges, but how you respond makes all the difference.
There’s a Bible verse where people recognized that the disciples had been with Jesus because of how they carried themselves:
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13 (NKJV)
As followers of Christ, we are His representatives on this earth. Jesus died, was buried, and rose again—and He is alive. So the question becomes: do others see Jesus in us? Do they see Him in our families and in how we conduct ourselves?
If not, then we have work to do.
None of us is perfect—Jesus is the only one who is. But as His children, we are called to be like Him. We should strive for a holy kind of maturity, carrying ourselves with love, kindness, and respect, just as He did.
This kind of godly character is reflected in the Proverbs 31 woman. She cared for her family, managed her household well, and lived with wisdom and strength. While we will never achieve perfection, we can ask God to help us become more like Him.
As Christians, we are called to a higher standard because His Spirit lives within us. That means loving our neighbors, showing kindness to strangers, and reflecting Christ in our daily actions. Our lives should point others toward Him.
The disciples were not perfect, yet people could tell they had been with Jesus because His presence was evident in them. In the same way, we must be willing to step out of our comfort zones, die to ourselves daily, and spend time in prayer.
We should continually ask God to examine our hearts:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart… and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23–24 (KJV)
We need to invite God to reveal anything within us that does not reflect Him. When He does, we must be willing to repent and ask, “Jesus, make me more like You—let there be more of You and less of me.”
God loves us deeply, but He also loves humanity and desires that all would be saved. We cannot be effective witnesses if people do not see Jesus in us. In fact, if our actions contradict our faith, it may turn others away from wanting to know Him.
We never get a second chance to make a first impression. So let every encounter count. Let others see not a performance, but the genuine reflection of Christ in us—how much we love God, and how much He loves them.
Let’s strive each day to be more like Jesus!
