Have You Looked in a Mirror Lately?

I have a confession to make.  I can’t pass a mirror without looking at it.  Call me weird, call me vain, just don’t call me when a mirror is close by.  I probably won’t hear you.

Sometimes I primp.  Sometimes I frown.  Sometimes I actually impress myself and sometimes I just sigh.  But whatever the reaction, it won’t cure me of wanting to take another look next time.

I have a hunch that I’m not alone.  A lot of people spend a lot of time looking at themselves in the looking glass.  Mirrors are an important part of our culture.  Some people cover their walls at home with them.  Michael Jackson once recorded a song about it.  And where would we be without that fairy-tale question, “Mirror, Mirror on the wall…?”

Did you know that mirrors can lie?  An old friend helped me understand this.  He said that all of us develop a way of looking in a mirror at just the right angle, with just the right facial expression, so that we look our best.  To ourselves.  To the mirror.  The mirror says, “You look Great!”  Sometimes the truth is, we look awful.

Believe it or not, scales can do the same thing.  Without fail, whenever we get new scales, they always show us weighing heavier than the old ones.  Why?  Because over the years I learn to stand on the old ones so that I weigh the least.  Just the right angle to show the greatest belly loss.  Of course, a sideways glance in the stupid mirror usually nullifies that, but that doesn’t change the fact that weigh-ins are negotiations.

There are other reasons for needing a mirror or scales than for checking your appearance.  And there are other kinds of mirrors that help us get a view of ourselves.  Some are more accurate than others, but all of them are important.  They help us see our strengths and weaknesses.  They help us examine our relationships with God and others.

Your spouse is a good mirror.  He or she sees you in a way that no one else does.  More times than we want to admit, our spouse’s actions, habits, and words are actually a reflection of us.  The next time you are frustrated or want to change something about your spouse, ask yourself, “Is this really a reaction to something in me that needs changing?”

The Body of Christ is a good mirror, if you use it properly.  Other Christians can help you understand and affirm your strengths and weaknesses, your gifts and your place in God’s Kingdom.  They often challenge you to grow by exposing areas of selfishness, rebellion, or carelessness.

Your circumstances serve as a good mirror.  That is why the Bible refers to some of them as “trials” or “tests.”  The thing that is often being tested or put on trial is your character.  Your response to your circumstances reflects your relationship with God, with yourself, and with others.

By far the greatest mirror is the Lord Jesus Himself.  As you look into His beauty, His power, and His holiness, you will see a striking picture of yourself.  That reflection will both horrify you and excite you.  You will see how much of your life is so unlike Him.  You will also see glimpses of His image in you.

You can’t spend your whole life in front of a mirror or on the scales.  But every once in a while, it’s wise to take another look.

Tagged as: Accountability, Feedback, Self-deception, Self-examination