The Word as a Mirror

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” (James 1:22-24 NIV)

The mirror is an ubiquitous object around the world.  There are very few people who neither own nor have access to a mirror.  Think about how many times a day you see your reflection.  In the bathroom, in the hallway, in the car.  And what do you see?  Ah, that is an important question.

Mirrored images are accurate representations of ourselves, but that objective image can get marred when it reaches our cerebral cortex.  It can become disconnected from reality.  A skinny young woman sees a reflection of a fat one.  An old man still sees a younger version of himself staring back.  An outwardly successful person can feel a failure’s gaze.

The truth is we rarely see ourselves correctly.  We tend to err toward thinking too much of ourselves or thinking poorly of ourselves.  As a teenage boy, I stood in front of a mirror looking at my hair.  If there were locks of hair sticking out, I cut them off.  After I finished, I was quite pleased with the way I looked.  Until I went to a hair stylist, who shook his head at what was a disastrous haircut.  I had misperceived what I truly looked like.  

I think the same is true spiritually.  Often we see ourselves in ways that are wholly inaccurate.  You may view yourself as a “pretty good” person and be content with that image, when God says you are a sinner and fall way short of His glory (Romans 3:23).  You may still see yourself as a terrible individual because of your past even though the Lord says you are forgiven if you have confessed your sin to Him (I John 1:9). You may think it normal to be bitter towards someone who hurt you, until you realize you are to forgive just as Christ forgave you (Colossians 3:13).

The Word of God serves as an accurate mirror for us to see our true selves.  It corrects any distorted images, good or bad, that we may have of ourselves.  It really is the only true mirror into which we can gaze and get an accurate reflection of who we are.  

Today, if you want to know who you really are, then spend time gazing into the mirror of the Word.  Study carefully the image it reflects.  It is likely you will find the previous view you held of yourself quite different from the one it reflects.

© Jim Musser 2016