The infamous
mirror. We do battle with it every single day, don’t we? How many of us pick
ourselves apart, critiquing, judging and hating every feature? How many of us,
upon seeing our reflection, are disgusted and disappointed with what we see?
There is a
use for everything, mirrors included. They serve a purpose. Let’s face it- if
it weren’t for mirrors, there’d be more instances of lipstick on- and spinach
in- teeth. We’d look much messier than we do when we present ourselves to the
world.
But mirrors
are not the end all, be all to our eternal worth and value. They are far from
it.
“But the LORD said…‘Look not on his
countenance, or on the height of his stature… for the LORD seeth not as man
seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the
heart.’”
1 Samuel 16:7
I once saw a
photo of the legend, Lauren Bacall, getting dressed. You see her next to some
of her clothes on a hanger, as she adjusts her belt.
And, accompanying that
photo is her quote:
“Looking at yourself in a mirror
isn’t exactly a study of life.”
Lauren Bacall
I was struck
by that. I mean, here is this world famous beauty, movie star and glamour icon
who should be paralyzed by any imperfect image reflected back at her.
Yet there
she is, looking calm and unaffected. It is like she is at peace knowing her
appearance is just a fraction of who she is.
Oh, if we
could all learn and embody that lesson.
When I was a
teenager, I drew various still life studies in my art class. I drew plants,
bottles and even a collection of old toys.
And it is
that last still life study which, years later, reminds me of how, yes indeed,
there is more than meets the eye. For, as I drew that inanimate object, that’s
all it appeared to be: inanimate. But the truth was so much more. The truth
involved hours of imaginative play. The truth involved happiness, comfort and
friendship. What appeared to just be a stuffed animal or doll could not explain
how alive, how real and how valuable the subject actually was.
The still
life just depicted a grouping of inanimate objects. That’s all.
And how similar
things are when we look upon ourselves in any mirror. We see shapes and
configurations of shapes. We see colors, lines and textures. But we do not have
our entire history and value assessed in that reflection. We cannot see
memories, traumas, scars, life lessons. We cannot see God’s ultimate purpose
and estimation of us. One can argue we cannot even see His love for us.
But it is
there. Oh, it is there.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to
glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
“…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a
good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the
Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
It’s
something to keep in mind each day as we prepare ourselves to face the world.
As we choose dresses, skirts, ties and suits, apply makeup, fix our hair and
make sure we don’t have anything in or on our teeth, let’s not neglect how
valuable our unseen qualities are.
It’s the
invisible which is most glorious. And it is what casts the largest refection.
It is so
much more than a still life. It is a masterpiece.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to
glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
Copyright © 2019 by Sheryle Cruse
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