IMPRINTS

“Stamping”--it was a crafting fad probably two decades-plus ago. I bought into it—literally--amassing a collection of “greeting” and “image” rubber stamps to make my own homemade greeting cards. At the time, there was a win-win aspect of “something to do” with my then-young-teen-loved-crafts- daughter. The slow demise of this hobby occurred to me when I was at a thrift store the other day and noticed a huge bin of used “stamps,” super-cheap. I passed them up as I still have mine, now little used.

The thrift store sight also brought to mind a New Testament phrase about our understanding about the person and role of Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews stated that God spoke in the past to His people via prophets, but now He is speaking “to us by His Son,” who is the “heir of all things” and Creator of all things (Hebrews 1:2) And here's the important word: “Jesus is the brightness of [God's] glory and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3 NKJV). The term “express image” is a translation of the Greek term charakter, which described a tool-made impression or engraving, such as found on an official seal or coin. Back then, they didn't have rubber stamps in craft stores, but the process with metal or wax was the same: press hard, leave image.

I find this mind-boggling. How could an eternal, infinite yet intimate God show us His “charakter”--except through His Son, planted temporarily on earth to model and teach about God's plan for holiness and peace? And not just to “model and teach,” but to leave the Holy Spirit to energize right-living?

And maybe a clue is in how we rubber-stamp these days (or in earlier times, pressing an image into melted wax). You don't get an “image” on your paper by juggling the rubber stamps. You must choose what's appropriate, press it into ink, then press into your paper or document. Could the same thing represent the process to be “imprinted” as a follower of Christ? There is a choice, that decision “inked” by blood shed on an ancient cross, which identifies us as Christian.

One more thought. To make a good “image” from my stamps, I needed to press the inked stamp into the paper hard and accurately. Similarly, a true Christ-following-decision isn't a “light touch” on one's life choices. If it's blurred, pale, or incomplete, the message is also compromised. Or to add to what I said above: press hard into Him. Leave His image on all you do or say.

Impressionable

A series inspired by sights of Kauai.

Its resemblance to a textile innovation attributed to French weavers of the 1800s gave this flower the popular name “chenille plant.” “Chenille” comes from the French word for “caterpillar,” whose fur the fabric supposedly resembled.  Even today, chenille bedspreads are popular for their retro look.  I remember, as a child, sleeping somewhere on such a bedspread, maybe at the home of someone we were visiting. When I woke up, the adults chuckled over the imprint that the ridges left of my face. Looking in the mirror, I agreed that I was quite a sight.

GOD’S IMPRINT ON JESUS

Later on, the Biblical concept of “imprints” helped me link faith with practice. First, we need the “imprint” of God in Christ’s life. These two New Testament passages speak of that. One uses the Greek eikon, which means an image that both represents and manifests God. .
He is the image [eikon] of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15)
The other [charakter] is used in several situations, one to describe a tool for engraving, and the other for a stamp that impresses an image into something, like a mold for coins. One place it’s used of Christ is Hebrews 1:3:
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation [charakter] of his being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.
In other words, everything of Jesus’ character showed us God, like a coin coming out of a mold in the treasury mint.
 

GOD’S IMPRINT ON US

We’re so used to having Bibles around that we probably don’t realize how revolutionary it is to have Jesus’ biography and teachings so handy. As we study those scriptures, the Holy Spirit helps us see how Jesus taught about God the Father. “God is love” was revolutionary for those who tried to appease idols or those in traditional Judaism who equated faith with endless rules.  Christ’s followers took the “imprint” idea a step further.  They said, basically, “Jesus taught us about the Father, and we’re now taking the discipling (imprinting) to you, who don’t have the privilege of walking and learning from Him first-hand.” Peter, who had his share of suffering as a Christ-follower, told churches under his care that Christ led the way with His example of suffering for doing right:
To this [unjust suffering for the faith] you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. (1 Peter 2:21)

When Paul saw churches in a tizzy over gray areas (in their case, eating meat offered to idols), he said to watch his life for ways to keep Christ first:

For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:35b-11:1, emphasis added). 

When Paul had to chide the Christians at Thessalonians for being lazy, he pointed out how he worked at his secular job to pay his way while ministering to them.  Again he used the term, “follow my example” (2 Thessalonians 3:7, 9).

GOD’S IMPRINT ON ME

As the chenille plant image returned me to these passages, I found myself doing a lot of self-examination. Does my behavior always reflect Christ?  Do I leave a godly imprint wherever I go? How do I behave around frustrating people? Do my words and lifestyle choices say, “Christ controls all”?