Monday, March 21, 2011

The Looking Glass

We worked on one of my favorite assignments in our classes today. This week, the memory verse we are studying is James 1:22-24:
"Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.'' We discussed the meaning and I brought up that Mom, in her late stages of Alzheimer's, did not recognize her own image. I told the kids that sometimes at the end of the day, I look at myself in the mirror, and don't always like what I see. The kids finished this statement: 'When I look in the mirror, I see....' Every student was allowed complete confidentiality and I did not even read any that requested privacy. My students were very honest. Over the next few nights, I'll run some of the responses of those who wanted to share; boys are in blue and girls are in purple.
These are a mixture of 8th graders, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Some will choke you up.

"When I look in the mirror, I see a girl who doesn't want to crack her shell and open up, a girl who thinks she is nothing more than a mistake. She just wants a place where she feels normal. I see a girl who thinks her dreams are out of reach but her family and friends push her up. With God's help, the feeling of loneliness disappears and her shell cracks a little more each day." K.

"When I look in the mirror, I see a guy who has much more than he should. I see a young man who is overweight but surrounded by genuinely good people and friends who make him laugh at things both good and bad. I see a guy with a beautiful girlfriend and a wonderful family and a God who looks past all the stuff the world has given him to carry and sees His creation for what he is. I see a someone extremely lucky to be alive after all that has happened and a person with a heart that can love anyone." M.

"When I look in the mirror, I see a girl with dreams and aspirations that seem impossible. I see someone who throughout all the pain of carrying on a family name and not wanting to disappoint anyone still puts a smile on to encourage others. I see someone with insecurities, a girl who sometimes questions God on her purpose. I see someone talented and full of hope. I pray that someday I see a beautiful, successful woman who spreads the hope she had when she was a teenager with blemishes and was not the skinniest or the prettiest. When I look in the mirror, I see a mosaic, small things that don't matter being molded into something by the Everlasting Potter." G.
"When I look in the mirror, I see a boy who has anger inside of him. He is working on it and he knows he is not alone. He is hurt by how a man who promised to be like his dad just left him. But then again, I see a young man who doesn't care about his past but is striving to be like David who had the heart of God. I see a young man who wants to be "I'm Third" and to serve with a gentle heart and who loves others as Christ does. I see someone who has the excitement to spread the Gospel. I see a young man who wants to know his real parents and to forgive them for leaving him in a foster home at the age of four." J.
"When I look in the mirror, I see someone whose past has been terrible and it has come to her present. But even through the hardest times, I see a girl who tries to do her best and show that she loves the people who make up her life; someone who admires the strong and learns from her flaws; someone who has kept her feelings to herself so she will not hurt others; someone who hides in her room so that she won't see the disappointment in her father's eyes but through it all, she tries her best to please him. I see someone who shows love and kindness to others, no matter who they are." A.
"When I look in the mirror, I see a boy who has tried his best to change into a man but cannot get rid of the kid inside; someone who strives to make everyone else happy without caring about the consequences they hold. I see someone who tries to do his best in school because his parents drive him there after a twelve hour shift at work. I shake my head sometimes because I am ashamed of the things I have done in the past and wish I could go back in time to relive those opportunities." L.
Applicable quote of the day:
“I have this phobia: I don't like mirrors. And I don't watch myself on television. If anything comes on, I make them shut it off, or I leave the room.”
Pamela Anderson
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com/
steve@hawleybooks.com

4 comments:

todrawneargod said...

Nice blog. You got a new follower... Hehe! God bless

http://todrawneargod.blogspot.com

Thess said...

Hmmm, I* might be able to use this in my class... Nice.

The souls remedy said...

Steve, great post... At the age of 48 i look in the mirror and still ask some of the same questions these young people feel. Keep encouraging them in the name of Jesus!!!

Me said...

very powerful stuff... love this post today!