"We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed [or ‘transfigured’ as in Matt. 17:2] into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor. 3:18).

Here is true Christian growth in grace. First, Christ has to be revealed to the soul, and then as you go on day after day, as you are occupied with Christ, you become like Him. You never have to advertise your holiness. This will not be necessary if your heart is taken up with the Lord Jesus. If occupied with Him, other people will soon realize that you are becoming more and more like Him as the days go by.

You may have heard of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s story of "The Great Stone Face." He tells of a lad who lived in the village below the mountain, and there upon the mountain was that image of the great stone face, looking down so solemnly, so seriously, upon the people. There was a legend that some day someone was coming to that village who would look just like the great stone face, and he would do some wonderful things for the village and would be the means of great blessing. The story gripped this lad, and he used to slip away and hour after hour would stand looking at that great stone face and thinking of the story about the one that was coming. Years passed, and even through young adulthood and middle age he still went to sit and contemplate the majesty, the beauty of that great stone face. Then old age came, and one day as he walked through the village someone looked at him and exclaimed, "He has come, the one who is like the great stone face!" He became like that which he contemplated. If you want to be Christlike, look at Jesus. If you want to grow in grace, contemplate Jesus. You find Him revealed in the Word, so read your Bible and meditate upon it.

We sing the song, "Take time to be holy, Speak oft with thy Lord." One servant of the Lord always interrupted when this hymn was given out and said, "Please let me change that first line; let us sing it, Take time to behold Him.’ " As we behold Him we will become holy, for we will be transformed into the same image from glory to glory.

(From Addresses on the Second Epistle to the Corinthians.)