“Search thy own heart; what paineth thee in others in thyself may be.”
– John Greenleaf Whittier (Leaves of Gold, pg. 73)
I have long contended that mirrors don’t lie. With advances in technology, I now need to qualify that statement. Our society has long passed the point where mirrors only reflect an image. You are certainly familiar with two way glass that reflects an image on one side, but is transparent from the other. Now we have smart mirrors that can create images for you. If you see a hair stylist who uses a smart mirror, you could see a 360 degree image of what a new hair style or color would look like on you—before the stylist has even started to work.
Back to my plain old bathroom mirror. That mirror doesn’t lie. It shows me exactly what I look like, and cares not whether the image is pleasing. I suspect we all have such a mirror in our homes. Why would we feel the need to own an object that has the capacity to be so brutal? Obviously because there is benefit in the ability to see ourselves clearly. Once we see, we know what needs to be done. We can apply the hair brush, tooth brush, skin lotion, hair trimmers, or whatever is needed to create a more presentable “self.”
God’s word is likened to a mirror, something into which we can look intently in order to know with clarity what kind of person we are (see James 1:23-25). If our desire is to live righteously in the world, this is of immeasurable value. Before becoming a lens through which we view others in order to judge them, the Bible must be a mirror by which we judge ourselves. Only then will we be prepared to hold the lens for others to see. Jesus taught this powerfully when he said, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).
I grew up with parents who had many sayings, one of which was about “the pot calling the kettle black.” Once I was old enough to know what a kettle is, I started to understand what they were saying. In our human nature we frequently criticize others for the very same traits that exist within us. I wonder how many times in a day I have a judgmental thought about another person. I further wonder how many of those judgments would find me guilty as well, possibly to a greater degree than the other person.
I wonder how it would feel to know the answer to those questions.
See you along the Winding Path.
The Winding Path 