Mirror Talk

Have you ever thought about the image that you see in the mirror? The image of ourselves that we see is the same ‘us’, but each time we take a look we see ourselves differently according to our circumstances. On a wedding day you might see a beautiful bride, dressed in all her glory. But when she glimpsed in the mirror early that morning she possibly looked at a mess. She was having her hair done that morning so it badly needed cutting, she hadn't put her make up on and she looked tired and dishevelled. You could almost hear her say, “Am I going to look OK? I'm a mess what is he going to think?”    

The   mirror  on the wall can also be cruel as we get older. I well remember the feeling of horror when I noticed that my beard was going grey. It didn't take me long  to decide that I needed a clean shave. The truth is that the mirror shows us every fault and blemish.

What do we do when we look in the mirror? I’m sure that most of us are anything but passive. “What a mess…I hate myself…if only I didn't have my  protruding teeth…” We can in fact be exceedingly cruel to ourselves and our own worse critic - particularly as we live in a competitive world. Most women like  to look attractive and have a certain amount of sex appeal, and many men like to think of themselves as God’s answer to women. Also there is a pressure to look good at work particularly if you want promotion.  The sad thing is that the media often add to the pressure and make us dissatisfied with who we are. Female newsreaders are often laid aside as they get older and males often have difficulty finding jobs as pensionable age draws nearer.

What is the answer to this dilemma and does it have to be this way? The truth is that the image that we see in the mirror on the wall  is not only influenced by our circumstances but also by our internal dialogue. In other words it is shaped by the things that we say to ourselves when we use the mirror. An interesting experiment is to write a list over a week of the thoughts that come to you each time you look in a mirror. Which of the following people do you associate with? Are you Mr. or Ms Negative or Positive? Do you see a glass half full or half empty? You may find that you are a mixture of both.

If you have a tendency to be your own worst critic  you are probably judging yourself against other people. The bible teaches that we are all made and loved by God and therefore special because of who we are. Look for your positive traits and make a point of speaking them out loud when you look in the mirror. We might not be looking perfect, but beauty is not just about physical appearance. 

If Human Life is sacred then what really counts is who we are. A friend of ours had numerous health issues and was in a wheel chair. He was in a mess physically but was one of the most generous people I have known. He made the most of what he had, and because of his character had a great deal to offer in being an encouragement to those around him. Are we Mr/Ms Negative or Positive? .It is important that if we are to live successfully  we change our self talk to reflect the way that God views us and he views us as special and made in his image.