God's Handprint on Transformed Hearts

I admit it–I am one of the 773,000 viewers (as reported by Google) of HGTV. I don’t watch all of the shows on that network, just the ones about home renovations. I love a good home makeover. You may think ALL of the shows on HGTV are about makeovers, but they’re not—some are just about buying real estate, and honestly, those don’t really hold my interest. I like the ones where we see the “before and afters.” The more dramatic the makeover, the better.

I’ve often asked myself, why do I love them? How can I watch this same type of thing over and over? What is it about them that draws me in time and time again? For me, it’s all about the transformation.

I love watching people’s faces once they step inside their transformed space. You see them with a myriad of expressions: joy, surprise, relief, feeling overwhelmed. There are often tears as the person sees how their once unusable space has become usable, or how something that was hazardous is now repaired. Maybe there’s a new piece where sentiment has been woven in, where they’re reminded of a past loved one or a place they once lived.

I remember one show where they recreated the kitchen for the homeowner to look like the kitchen she had grown up with—one filled with memories of her mother and grandmother whom she had tragically lost. The homeowner cried and cried seeing the newly transformed space in her home.

If a transformed kitchen can provoke these feelings, how much more a transformed life? Today’s passage is one of my favorites because it’s about transformation, something I find very compelling. I find it compelling because I know from my own life and the lives of those around me, the beauty and power of transformation.

So, what does a life look like that’s been transformed by Christ? What is the before and after of that? How does it all work? The transforming power of Christ teaches that through faith and the work of the Holy Spirit, we can experience a drastic change in our nature and character. This transformation is not merely about behavioral changes, but an underlying shift in one’s heart and identity, leading to a life that pleases God.

We move from:

a lack of confidence to                               a confidence in Christ

unforgiveness to                                         forgiveness

our old way of life, feeling stuck to         a new way of life and fresh start

feeling left out or being an outsider to   a secure sense of belonging

I’ve experienced this multiple times over the years as a small group leader, Disciple Bible Study leader, Alpha leader, whenever I’ve led or participated in groups. I’ve witnessed countless people being transformed before my eyes. As a leader, I’ve had the privilege of having a front row seat to see the Holy Spirit at work—which has spilled over and impacted my life as well.

I remember one person in particular who was in the Alpha class only because her friend invited her. She was very clear from the first day–she was only taking this class because of her friend and that she was somewhat interested in history, not because she believed anything in the Bible. She was very harsh in her tone, quite skeptical, and had her walls firmly up.

As the weeks went along, I witnessed a softening in her voice, in her approach to understanding Scripture and at the end of 10 short weeks she said, with confidence, that she was a follower of Christ. I could see the new confidence in her; I could see that she felt included in our group and in the church. I could see how she had begun living and accepting that she was loved and forgiven by Christ. The transformation was unmistakable. And it was better and grander than any home makeover.

Unlike a home makeover which affects that one home, the transformation that we see in others spills over and transforms us as well. I can’t imagine NOT being impacted and changed after seeing such significant transformations in others. It brings my own faith alive and reinvigorates it, increasing my confidence, reminding me of my own continued forgiveness, and bringing me to a deeper sense of belonging in Christ.

I will continue to be drawn to the HGTV shows that repeat renovation after renovation—and I’ll continue to enjoy watching the people respond to their new surroundings. But if you want to see the real thing… watch Christ at work.