Listen to the mirror

You wake up late (again). You gobble down your breakfast. A brief glance in the mirror as you're looking for your phone. There's jam from breakfast on your face - must wash that off. You find your phone down the sofa and rush out the door. On your walk to work it seems like people are smirking as they pass you. But why on earth would they? At 11 o'clock you head to the bathroom. This time you take a proper look in the mirror and realise why the smirks: you never got round to washing that jam off ... It's no use looking in the mirror before heading out the door unless you do something about it.That principle applies to more serious things as well. The book of James says this: "Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like." (James 1:23-24) What do we look like? Well, the same passage reminds us we need to be quicker to listen, slower to speak, and slower to become angry (1:19). Advice we can all identify with. It also talks about looking after the vulnerable in society (1:27), an issue now as it was then.

If you read the bible seriously, you soon hear it saying that you are a mess. Our thoughts, words, and actions all fall far short of God's perfect standard. Fortunately it also tells us how to get cleaned up. We need to "humbly accept the word ..., which can save" (1:21). A reminder to Christians, who have been washed by Jesus (Titus 3:3-7). An invitation to those who aren't Christians, to submit to what God says, and to turn to him for forgiveness.

Image: “Girl Looking In The Mirror” by Stuart Miles from freedigitalphotos.net