James 1: 23 - 25 NKJV
There was a self motivation craze out there not too long ago which prompted a person to stand in front of a mirror and recite inspirational phrases. Soon, many people were talking to their mirrors saying, "I am someboby!" Yet, who did they really see when they gazed upon that image in the mirror? Did they see a container of skin and bones or did they see something more profound within them? To me, thise craze never really intrigued me. For the most part I knew who I was, and at times I wasn't proud of that. We've all been in that place in our lives where we wallow in self doubt and wonder about our own worth. I believe that this is simply natural human emotion. Or to put it another way, the flesh. So, who is it that we ultimately see when we look at ourselves in the mirror? For those shrouded in self doubt, we may see someone who cannot measure up to the expectations of others. However, for those who are confident in who they ultimately are, they may see someone who has it all together. All too often, we allow those around us to dictate how we perceive ourselves. Trust me, I've been a victim of this as well. We may walk each and every day under the constant barrage of just who others think we are. This can have a devestating effect on someones self image. It did for me. I remember listening to more than a few people filling my head that I was unskilled, uneducated and lazy. Mind you, this was coming from those who barely knew me as a person! As you might expect, this did not have too much of a possitive impact on my own self image. For when I looked in that mirror, I saw the very same person who others told me that I was.
1Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of aGod! Therefore the world does not know bus, because it did not know Him. 2Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
1 John 3: 1 - 2 NKJV
So, who is it that we really see when we look into that mirror? Do we see that same person who others spend so much time trying to convince us we are, or do we see that person our heavenly Father is trying to show us? A dear friend of mine related a story to me a few years back about that moment he realized that he was a holy creation in Christ and not the person others claimed. Standing in front of his mirror one day, the realization came to him and he was able to confidently tell himself, "You know, I'm an okay person." What brought him to such a brilliant revelation? Well, I like to believe that Christ ultimately revealed to him who he truly was. Granted, my friend is a devoted man of Christ, so he more than likely would agree with that assesment. Not to be tedious, but who is it that we see in that mirror? It certainly took me awhile, to come to this realization, but I no longer see that man that others have told me I was. No, when I look into that mirror, I see Christ Jesus who is in me! The scriptures indeed tell us that Christ Himself lives in those who have confessed Him. THIS is the image whom we see when we look in the mirror. As the apostle John tells us, the world around us does not know us because it did not know Him. Make no mistake, if we have confessed Christ Jesus in our hearts, then we are children of the living God. Oh what love the Father has bestowed upon us that we would have this recognition! What love had He that, while we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus died for us {Romans 5:8}. This is the person we see when we gaze into that mirror, Christ Jesus, a child of God! The heavy lifting has already been done for us, all we need do is confess Christ in our hearts. Indeed, that realization will come upon us that we are not the person others see, but the person God sees.
~Scott~
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