The Right Mirror

Have you ever been to one of those "Fun Houses" at a fair? The ones with all the crazy mirrors that make you look misshapen and silly? Personally, those "Fun Houses" freak me out (I know I'm not alone in this, whose with me on the creepy?) but that's besides the point.

The point is, those mirrors give us a false perception of what is actually there. They distort the truth.

I wonder, how many times the "mirrors" of this life have distorted the truth in us? Beginning when we are very young, we are taught to "fit in". To look, dress, think, and act a certain way; and if we don't then we're not good enough. Isn't that the overwhelming message sent to us?

If we don't look like that girl in the make-up commercial, we're not good enough. If we aren't as smart as the rest of the class, we aren't good enough. If we don't excel in sports, or extracurricular activities, we aren't good enough. Not pretty enough, not skinny enough, not smart enough, not fit enough, not anything enough. THAT is an exhausting existence, constantly chasing after "enough", and it's not the one God designed or wants for us.

That is why, we have to choose our "mirror" and as a believer in Christ, we have but one, the Bible. God's word is our mirror and it is only by looking into it, that we are able to see clearly, the true reflection of who we really are.

However, this mirror is not always easy to look in, because while it will show beautiful truths, it will also point out the ugliest parts of our hearts. This is not meant to shame us, but to refine us, so that our reflection becomes increasingly more beautiful, and more like Christ, with every passing day.

This mirror is also the only one that God ever intended us to look upon. In the brokenness of this world, it can become dirty and dim, flooded with other messages about who we are and who we're supposed to be.

But what if we already were enough, simply because Jesus loves us and chose us?

What if we were already accepted, chosen, wanted, loved, purposed, forgiven, redeemed, valuable, created in the image of God, righteous and holy, victorious, and complete? Good news, we already are, because Jesus has said it is so. He has given us new life in himself, and paid the ultimate price, that we might know and walk in the truth and the freedom of who we are in Him! When we see ourselves through the mirror of God's word, and God's truth, we can start to love ourselves more, to love others better, and to love God most.

When we see ourselves through the mirror of God, we begin to look at ourselves less, and look to Him more. We don't have to constantly check our reflection to make sure we measure up, because we know we're already enough, simply because He loves us and said it was so.

So, wipe the dust off that mirror. Spray it clean and fill it with His truth. Today, take a good, hard look in that mirror, and know that you are loved.