New and Improved

Therefore , if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  -2 Corinthians 5:17

"Mrs. Riddle, have you always had short hair?"

This question from one of my inquisitive eighth graders, no doubt eager to distract me from our U.S. History lesson, flashed me back in time about nine years. 

My youngest child was a few months away from entering the world. Feeling the need for a drastic change to offset my ever-expanding, baby-filled waistline, I took the plunge and tried a new hairstyle. In an hour’s time I went from a lifetime's worth of long and straight to a strikingly different look of short and layered.

I was nervous about looking at my reflection in the mirror for the first time, afraid I might not like the new ‘do, but when I finally took a look I absolutely loved it. And I kept on loving it, continuing to like the new style more every day. It was easy, it had personality, and, if I do say so myself, it looked a lot better on me than my old limp locks.

At first I was self-conscious about going public, but it was fun to get others’ reactions on the new look. Everyone was very complimentary. My husband, bless his heart, told me that I looked pretty – which, let me tell you, men, is a sure-fire way to make a wife smile. Several people at church said that they didn’t recognize me at first and wondered what strange lady was sitting with Pastor’s children. I’ve never been one for spending time fussing over my looks, but suddenly I loved to stop in front of a mirror just to re-examine the new hair, tuck a strand into place and take a moment to feel great about “the new me.”

Who would have thought that something as simple as a hair cut could turn me into a whole new person?

It’s fun to be made new. To be re-created. It’s a joyful experience to see yourself in a new light and to like what you see. It’s a delightful thing, a wonderful thing, to be a forgiven and washed-clean child of God.

Who would have thought that something as simple as a cross could turn me into a whole new person?

I can’t help getting excited about the change of Easter. Oh, sure, the holiday itself is fun, what with the jelly beans and the family time and all, but the really great part about Easter is getting to be a new person.

In the wee hours of the day I’ll crawl out of bed, sneak around the house so as to not wake the children as I make my morning cup of hot chocolate, and open my Bible to the resurrection account in the Gospels to read about the new person, the resurrected Jesus, appearing to His friends.

Amid the smell of the lilies I’ll proclaim with my Christian brothers and sisters, “He is risen, indeed!” and know that with His rising He raised the new us, the new and improved and lookin’-so-good body of believers, who once were dead to our Father because of our sin but now are alive and lovely.

With every egg and chick and flower and bunny I’ll be reminded of new life – the new, post-death life of the metamorphosed butterfly, of the glorious Christ, of the me who can put all my ugly and black sins behind me and know they are no more, and in my Father’s eyes I am – it gives me chills to even think it – beautiful.

I love the new me. I love the person that daily comes forth and arises, forgiven despite everything, leaving behind the unattractive person that I see when I forget to look at myself the way God looks at me. There is real joy in Easterly newness.

I hope that when people catch a glimpse of the new me that God’s created, the tickled-to-be-forgiven one, they can see where my new look comes from. Because my stylist, I happen to know, is always glad to get a referral. In case I haven’t mentioned it before, I know where you can get a great new look. Oh, wait, I think you’ve already been to see Him. The Easter-morning light in your eyes that is sparkling up from your forgiven heart is His distinctive look. Andfriend, I’ve gotta say, you look marvelous.