Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1
I often avoid them like the plague. Mirrors and I have a complex relationship. While I enjoy mirrors in a room…I don’t enjoy me in the mirrors. They say that mirrors have a way of making a room look larger and brighter. But it is a whole different story when I stand before one. You see, the mirror reminds me of just how imperfect I am. I look and see all the ways I need to be better and find myself not really loving the man in the mirror.
Sometimes that is not the case. A friend of mind owned a home in Florida, and he was kind enough to let my family and me vacation there in the summer. It was a beautiful home with a pool and a hot tub, and we always felt so special when we stayed there. But there was one more thing that I liked a lot. You see, in the master bedroom, there was a free-standing mirror. It was taller than me…though that isn’t saying a lot…and for some reason it made me look…taller and thinner. Yup, that’s the truth. I would stand in front of that mirror, and it made me look like I had grew an inch or two and dropped a few pounds. Now that is my kind of mirror.
It didn’t matter that I really hadn’t lost any weight. What mattered was that is how the mirror made me feel. I felt better about the man in the mirror…or at least that mirror. While I regularly avoid mirrors even today, that was one mirror I intentionally sought out. Now the bottom line is life is filled with mirrors. First and foremost is the one in our own mind. That is the most critical mirror of all. Given half a chance we will find ourselves standing and staring at the mirror of our mind and discovering all the warts and flaws of our life. It is not a good mirror to gaze into.
There is another mirror and that is the mirror of public opinion. We live in a world where people are far too free with their opinion of others. Opinions are fine…everyone has one but for some reason when it comes to our opinion of others, often they are critical and painful. Because of that, if we are not careful, we walk in a room just waiting for someone to roll the mirror out…waiting for a reminder just how imperfect we are.
Our enemy the devil is the best at using mirrors. He whispers in our ear constantly reminding us of all our flaws and reminding us that it must be simply impossible for God to love us. Who could love a person like us and sadly, we often stand there in front of his mirror and listen to his cutting remarks. Unfortunately, we even believe what he says…even when we know it is not true. But like the mirror in Florida, there is a mirror that we can always trust and that always guides us in truth. It is the mirror of God’s Word.
You see, the Bible, the oldest and most trusted of all sacred writings is not a book of bondage but rather a book of freedom. It is a love note from our Dearest Daddy in heaven and in it He reminds us just how much He loves us and just how keen He is on us. From Genesis to the Revelation, He speaks words over us of love and affirmation. Ever wonder just how fond He is of you? Well, fond enough to send His Son to a Roman cross to pay the price for our mistakes and sins. Amazing.
So, it seems like we need to make a choice. Which mirror will we choose to stand before? Will we allow our minds to fill us with self-condemnation? Will we let the mirror of public opinion determine our self-worth and self-image? Will we continue to allow Satan to whisper his lies into our hearts and minds? Or will we choose the mirror of God’s Word? There is a letter that Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome. In that letter, he tells them, “There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” In other words, to the ones who have chosen to believe and follow Jesus, all charges are dropped. While we still won’t be perfect…we will be perfectly forgiven. How about that?
As you journey through life today, choose to believe the mirror of God’s Word. Oh my, He is so proud to call you His child. He has never regretted allowing you to be a part of His family. Go ahead, read His love note, the Bible, you will find it written there. And if you listen carefully, you will hear Him whispering…not accusations but words of love. Oh, and you might hear Him letting you know that no matter what, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 