“Mirror,
Mirror upon the wall, who’s the fairest of all?” The Mirror answered "Thou,
O Queen, art the fairest of all," ‘and
the Queen was contented because, she knew the Mirror could speak nothing but
the truth.’
Most of us
remember this fairy tale from our childhood, yet even today some people desire
to be the most striking and beautiful above all others. How we see ourselves is important but, how
others see us should also be considered.
We're on the outside looking
in, but people can sometimes see things about us that we can’t or won’t accept. Without a mirror, we would not know how we
looked in the morning or the image that we portray from day to day. When we finally take a good look in a mirror,
do we always believe what we see? A mirror
doesn’t lie, nor does God’s Word. While
we all have at least one mirror in our possession, let’s consider the Word of
God as a heavenly looking glass (God’s Mirror), which allows us to see the
reflection of our soul (inner
character, nature). When was the last
time you took a good look in the mirror of God’s Word? If it’s been a while, use this time to take a look!
Let’s first review the word mirror as
both a noun and a verb. Secondly, we will consider the
terms below with: what the Word of God is
(a true representation of God) and what the Word instructs us to do in our personal lives (represent God, imitate Christ):
Mirror
(n): 1. A polished or smooth surface (as of glass) that forms images by
reflection; 2 a: something that gives a true representation b: an
exemplary model.
Mirror
(v): 1. Reflect: echo, copy, emulate, parallel, imitate; 2. Represent: To represent, epitomize,
illustrate, symbolize, typify, or signify.
POINTS TO CONSIDER:
·
We
use MIRRORS to SEE (observe,
perceive, distinguish, make out) our
physical appearance which can be either good or bad (satisfactory or
unacceptable) and we make adjustments based on our perception of how we see
ourselves and what we think is best for our lives. There is one concern, which
could be a problem: Our perception is not
always realistic or biblical (the way God sees us or desires for us to be).
We do not normally use anything to see or monitor our behavior (actions, deeds,
activities). Without a mirror or gauge, we cannot really see ourselves and
do not know how we or our actions look, but others can see in us what we cannot. Also, others see things that we
refuse to acknowledge, accept or believe about ourselves. We do not always want to know or receive the
truth about ourselves. And sometimes, we are not always receptive to the
opinion or evaluation others have about our actions – especially if we consider
them negative. Consider this verse: “Jesus said . . ., ‘You are truly my disciples if
you remain faithful to my teachings. And you shall know the truth and the truth
will set you free.’” (John 8:31-32 NLT) How
can we determine or measure our spiritual persona (appearance) without a gauge
or mirror? We cannot! Also, we should not ignore our spiritual
condition if and when it is in need of correction or a remedy. Jesus
is the answer for not only our spiritual condition; but also the spiritual malady of those in the world today!
·
The Word of God is a spiritual
barometer that
when used properly and consistently will help us to: avoid unacceptable and destructive behavior, as well as sin. We cannot change what is wrong in ourselves
unless it is revealed to us (by God’s Spirit or another person). How do
we handle the facts we receive? If we truly desire to change, we should
have an open mind and not take offense. God
expects us to be holy as He is holy and imitators of Jesus Christ. We
should MIRROR what we read and hear from the Word of God so that our
images, words, and actions are a true representation that demonstrate Christ to
others.
·
We cannot change or grow spiritually
in God without practicing some fundamental things:
Let’s look at some ABC’s:
1. We must ACKNOWLEDGE what is revealed to us and be reconciled with the truth
(of God’s Word). ”We cannot conquer what we do not confront and we cannot
confront what we do not identify.” For
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
2. We must BELIEVE in Jesus and that He is our only hope for deliverance and
salvation. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and Life. (John 14:6; Romans 10:9)
3. We must CONFESS our sins and imperfections to God as well as to those we
have offended so that, we can be forgiven and cleansed of our unrighteousness. An important element of confession is
REPENTANCE which involves true contrition and a change of mind. With repentance, we decide to turn away
completely from all habitual behavior and any ungodly lifestyle that hinders our spiritual
growth in God. (1 John 1:8-9)
