Tim Pratt Jr. uses a goldsmith's refining process as a metaphor for spiritual growth. A goldsmith stops refining gold when he sees his own reflection in it; God refines believers until He sees His own reflection in them. This lifelong process isn't punishment, it's shaping you to become more like Him.
What's up everybody, so my name is Tim Pratt Jr. for you all that don't know me, and I want to talk to you a little bit about God's reflection. What does God see when he looks at you? Uh, in most ancient books that I've read and stuff like that, just to kind of set the stage for this, when a goldsmith would basically look and know that a refining process was complete when they were making gold, he would stand over it, and if he could see his reflection, that mean it was complete, and so he would stop it. And if he couldn't, he would put it back through the refining process. And so that's why it's a question, what this So don't take it personal. Like I said, it's not a personal attack. God is after your faith. He wants to develop you. He wants to conform you. He wants to prune you because it's all about making you like him? Does he see your reflection? Because if he doesn't, get ready to be refined again. And truth be told, all believers, I feel like we can agree on this, is a lifelong process until we basically reach the end. God bless.
