One day the bathroom mirror went to vist the shrink. "Come relax in this recliner," the phychiatrist said to the mirror, "Now tell me what seems to be the problem?" "I feel so yucky about myself," the bathroom mirror moaned.
"Oh really? Now why would you feel like that?" "Well, nobody appreciates me for who I am," the mirror began. "Everybody just uses me. When they come into the bathroom, people don't even notice me. All they do is gape at themselves. And when they run the shower I get all steamed up. Then their hair sticks to me. They get their grubby fingerprints on me. And when they brush their teeth it spatters all over me." "I think I see your problem," the phychiatrist interrupted. "Your problem is, you have a poor self-image."
Stop. I'm interrupting this illustration. Would you agree that this is a ludicrous illustration? It's obvious why. It's because a mirror wasn't made to have a self-image. A mirror was made to reflect the image of another.
from "In His Face" by Bob Sorge
This was a very powerful illustration to me. We as believers are not to get wrapped up in self-image. We are to be a reflection of Christ. We need to stop focusing on who we are in Christ and instead focus on who Christ is in us!
It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking we deserve to be treated better, or thinking I should be appreciated or validated. The truth is we don't deserve anything! Only by God's grace and mercy are we saved. We didn't do anything to earn it nor could we even try.
To be a reflection of Christ we must give up or self-image for Christ's image. I love this illustration of the mirror because I see the example of Jesus. He wasn't appreciated, people were not noticing Him for who He was. They were only looking at themselves and their needs. I would say Jesus could have felt used. Then the soldiers put their grubby hands all over him, he was spit on, beaten, and then crucified. The difference is - Jesus never complained. He was simply a reflection of the Father's love. Jesus didn't have a self-image problem because He wasn't focused on himself or his needs. He was focused on the Father. He was focused on us! His compassion for us!
Truthfully, there have been many times I myself have fallen into this trap of complaining, feeling unappreciated, unnoticed, and used. This can be a great trap the enemy uses to make us feel defeated. But we must remember that we are not to focus on ourself but to instead be a mirror. We are the reflection of Christ. And in Christ we can do all things! We are to reflect His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His kindness, His goodness, His meekness, His gentleness, His self control, and yes...his long suffering! We are to reflect His glory!
And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. -
2 Cor. 3:18
"Oh really? Now why would you feel like that?" "Well, nobody appreciates me for who I am," the mirror began. "Everybody just uses me. When they come into the bathroom, people don't even notice me. All they do is gape at themselves. And when they run the shower I get all steamed up. Then their hair sticks to me. They get their grubby fingerprints on me. And when they brush their teeth it spatters all over me." "I think I see your problem," the phychiatrist interrupted. "Your problem is, you have a poor self-image."
Stop. I'm interrupting this illustration. Would you agree that this is a ludicrous illustration? It's obvious why. It's because a mirror wasn't made to have a self-image. A mirror was made to reflect the image of another.
from "In His Face" by Bob Sorge
This was a very powerful illustration to me. We as believers are not to get wrapped up in self-image. We are to be a reflection of Christ. We need to stop focusing on who we are in Christ and instead focus on who Christ is in us!
It's so easy to fall into the trap of thinking we deserve to be treated better, or thinking I should be appreciated or validated. The truth is we don't deserve anything! Only by God's grace and mercy are we saved. We didn't do anything to earn it nor could we even try.
To be a reflection of Christ we must give up or self-image for Christ's image. I love this illustration of the mirror because I see the example of Jesus. He wasn't appreciated, people were not noticing Him for who He was. They were only looking at themselves and their needs. I would say Jesus could have felt used. Then the soldiers put their grubby hands all over him, he was spit on, beaten, and then crucified. The difference is - Jesus never complained. He was simply a reflection of the Father's love. Jesus didn't have a self-image problem because He wasn't focused on himself or his needs. He was focused on the Father. He was focused on us! His compassion for us!
Truthfully, there have been many times I myself have fallen into this trap of complaining, feeling unappreciated, unnoticed, and used. This can be a great trap the enemy uses to make us feel defeated. But we must remember that we are not to focus on ourself but to instead be a mirror. We are the reflection of Christ. And in Christ we can do all things! We are to reflect His love, His joy, His peace, His patience, His kindness, His goodness, His meekness, His gentleness, His self control, and yes...his long suffering! We are to reflect His glory!
And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. -
2 Cor. 3:18
