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What do we see when we look in the mirror — an image we would soon forget or a familiar face smiling back at us?
Long term memories of visiting my maternal grandmother’s home last century are still quite vivid even though some 50 years have transpired since I enjoyed looking into her hallway mirror of peach/rose coloured glass that was etched in an Art Deco style. Since then I have not come across another mirror like it. As a child I had no idea just how valuable Granny Mary’s mirror was, just that it was different to all other mirrors due to the coloured glass, most unusual shape, and decorative etchings. What eventually happened to this beautiful mirror? I simply do not know as my mother’s mother is now long deceased, the home demolished, and all her possessions taken by others to do with as they will.
A mirror is still just a mirror — right?! Some glass with a specially prepared backing to reflect light in order to view an image in front of it. Most of us, if not all, use a mirror for our daily preparation before leaving our homes in order to confirm to ourselves that we look clean, tidy, and presentable to the world. For me, I no longer wear any makeup and have not done so for quite some time (truly liberating and time saving after researching the origins of how and why the temple prostitutes coloured their lips and the symbolism associated with this). However I do fix my hair as it is getting much longer and needs to be clipped up for work. This means a few minutes in front of the mirror to ensure I can achieve some sort of semblance for a “professional” look. Some days are better than others as my hair is fine and seems to do its own thing. On average I find myself spending a few minutes in order to view my efforts with satisfaction. Without the mirror I would not be as confident leaving home and probably ask my closer colleagues, upon arrival, if my hair looked alright or messy. But then again knowing myself to the degree I do, I know I would head straight for the bathroom or restroom at work and make a beeline for the mirror to check out the state of my hairstyle.
With that having been said, mirrors are convenient and helpful as long as we have control over them and do not let them control our time or be a slave to our appearance. Remember what Proverbs 31:30 states “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised”. Moderation is always key in everything and it is truly what is within that is the most important — our character.
Whenever I think about mirrors my mind invariably goes to the scriptural passage found in James 1:23-24 which says: “But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was”.
Polishing our Mirrors for a Closer View
It is easy to quickly check our image in the mirror before we rush out the door each morning to start our day. Looking into a peach or rose coloured mirror does give us a rosy glow which can give us a false sense of security into thinking we look good. But do we really? Our appearance can be deceptive to others. We can look all neat and tidy from the exterior but do we really know what is below the surface — what is in our hearts —what makes us tick? Our actions throughout the day are a pretty accurate guide to who we truly are. These actions will be the result of our thoughts and words and are guided by our conscience, made up of free will and whether or not we allow God’s Holy Spirit to lead us in all that we do.
When in front of the mirror we observe our face for a minute or so and then it is out of sight, out of mind. We become focussed on external things and events going on around us as we go about our business. What God is telling us in His Word is that we need to consciously keep ourselves in check all the time, not just when we view ourselves briefly when in front of the mirror. We therefore need to slow down and think about all that we do each and every day. Examine your actions closely. Our hearts can easily deceive us into thinking all is well when it is not. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings”.
We need to follow all the good examples in our instruction manual for life — our Bibles. A good template for us is found in Proverbs 31 of the virtuous wife. Her actions speak clearly as to what is in her heart. She is productive, busy using her talents, wise, kind, trustworthy, and loving. Throughout the book of Proverbs we can read of all the right characteristics for both men and women to seek out and emulate in order to have wisdom, knowledge and understanding, which will form the basis in order to live an abundant righteous life, to build the character now that will prepare us all to help others in God's soon coming Kingdom.
And, of course, the best example we could ever choose to emulate is that of our older brother, Jesus Christ. I leave you with His thought provoking words worthy of careful meditation, found in John 15:1-17. These words should inspire us to get out there in this world and be the very best example of a Christian living in these last days. We can all make a difference — be that difference in service to others as doers of the Word, not just hearers only.