THE BEST MIRROR
Almost everyone has a mirror. We use mirrors daily. Mirrors are everywhere. In homes, hospitals, schools, airports, public bathrooms, and cosmetic bags. Why is a mirror so important? It can be trusted to detect flaws on our face and body. When we meet in the mirror, we want to address the flaws before someone else sees them. Mirror is, therefore, a friend that will never lie to us.
Sometimes, we want to use the mirror to assess our public speaking abilities. We stand in front of the mirror and practice our speech. Again, as a trusted friend, the mirror will reflect our performance, boosting our confidence and self-image and reducing stage fright.
Mirrors are an indispensable necessity of life. They are also used for various scientific purposes and safety measures, such as driving. Mirrors have many advantages, so we cannot do without them.
However, there is yet another mirror that the Bible talks about, highlighting its usefulness. Apostle James gave good counsel on this mirror in James 1:19-25. But we will look more closely at verses 22-25:
“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
From the passage above, the Word of God is the best mirror that tells us what to do. If we listen, read, and memorize the Word of God without doing what it says, we are just fooling ourselves. Verses 19-21 give the preparation for using the mirror. If you will use the mirror effectively, you must be a sincere hearer of the Word of God. This mirror shows the flaws in our minds. Just as we will not walk away from our mirror without fixing flaws on our face or clothes, we are to set our minds on fixing any flaws that the Word of God detects in our minds.
We achieve this if we are quick to hear the Word and slow to speak. This means we are willing to listen instead of speaking our ideas. Why should we argue with the Word if we cannot argue with our mirror? If you accept correction from your mirror, why should you refuse to accept the correction from the Word of God? Verse 20 says that if we refuse to correct our sins, the word of God points out that we will get angry with everyone we encounter, which will not produce God’s righteousness.
We are to handle the Word of God, our best mirror, with meekness. Humility enables us to be teachable, and because of this, we can get rid of filthiness and naughtiness that may be lurking in our minds. It is not how many times we go to church but how much effect the Word of God has on us. In verse 25, the Bible says that anyone who hears and does the Word of God will be blessed. The same will be set free of all the temptations that enslave the soul.
The LORD has given us the Bible, our mirror, to show us what we look like in our souls. Let us act on what the mirror tells us, and we will be blessed.