We worked on one of my favorite assignments in our classes last week. Back in October, one of our written memory verses was 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. I talked about Paul's reference to mirrors in 1st Corinthians 13:12 and read examples from my students of ten years ago. The kids finished this statement: 'When I look in the mirror, I see....' Every student was allowed complete confidentiality. My students were very honest. Over the next few nights, I'll run some of the responses of those who wanted to share. Some will choke you up. All are used by permission and are a combination of middle and high school students Boys are in blue and girls are in pink.
When I look in the mirror, I see a girl who tries her hardest to please her parents and their dreams for me. I see a girl who loves herself but is brought down by what others say. I see a girl who has dreams and wants to become a great person but struggles to find her path through the right and the wrong. I see a girl who is confident on the inside and wants to show it, but finds it complicated when other people shine brighter. I see the girl who wants to find her insecurities and make them a beautiful thing. I know when I look in the mirror, I am powerful because I can see Jesus standing by my side.
When
I look in the mirror I see a boy who has made many mistakes in his short time
of living, with many years to come. I see a boy who looks in the mirror and
thinks about how he could be better and impress the people around him or make
them smile or make people laugh. I see a boy who wants to become a respectable
well-rounded man but has no motivation to do so. I see a boy trying to find a
spot for Jesus in his life but can't seem to do so. I see a boy who wants to
make everything right without causing trouble. He wants to have the time of his
life doing the things he needs to do instead of just brushing them off, forgetting
about them as if they weren't important. I see somebody who wants to become
something good while enjoying life and doing the things he wants to do all
while keeping everybody happy.
When I look in the mirror, I see a girl still learning to appreciate who she is
and how she looks. I see the girl who cuts herself down because she isn't the
smartest or the most athletic and feels hopeless because of it. I see a girl compared
to her brother. I see a girl who is slowly learning that every part of her is a
mixture of her family and that what makes it beautiful. Her eyes are my
mother's eyes, her nose is my father's nose, her ears my grandfather's and her
smile my grandmother’s. I see a girl who sometimes judges herself too harshly
with every mistake she makes. I see a girl who is tired of everyone talking
about college and the future because as much as she tries to deny it, she's not
ready to grow up. When I look in the mirror I see someone who never feels like
she’s good enough for the love that is unconditionally surrounding her.
When I look in the mirror I see a boy who does not know his future. This
frustrates him; he wants to know but he cannot grasp a future that would make
himself happy. I see a boy who does not smile. I see a boy who will never
accept himself at the top; he can never be number one, he must be number two. I
see a boy scared that he is unlovable. I see a boy who struggles with
temptation and loses often. While the boy is scared to be number one, he will
not accept a loss. I see a boy partially proud of overcoming past struggles but
still fighting his problems daily.
Hey there is a mirror, let’s go see what we look like today. Wow, there is a lot going on here. Where do we even begin? How could there be so much, yet we only ever see so little? Let’s start here. I see a young man who strives every single day to be the best that God made him to be. Still young in life, he often feels much older than he really is. A young man with flaws too numerous to count, but yet people still love him anyway. I guess it’s because everyone has flaws and he’s not the only one. But through his flaws and all his wrongs, God still finds a way to bring glory and honor to his kingdom. People see a very gifted and talented young man who is going places in this world. I see a man still trying to figure out why he often feels different, yet truly wants to serve God to the fullest. God sees his child, whom he loves so much that he sent his son to die for him and everyone else in the world. Hey, this mirror is starting to seem like it has more than one dimension.
When
I look in the mirror, I don't know who I am. I see a failed reflection. I see a
girl, who puts her talents locked up in a case, and hides it under her heart. I
see a girl who chases dreams too far from her reach, only to see it was
impossible to reach for the stars. I see a girl’s creative thoughts being
praised, but she quickly turns them down. When I look in the mirror, I see a
helper, a girl who tries to assist in any situation anyone is going through. I
see an influence, impacting everyone around her. I see a calm, controlled girl,
who takes care of her emotions even in the toughest of times. I see a creative,
talented, pretty, smart, quiet girl. When I look in the mirror, I see me. The
mirror might get shattered, stolen, or even misty. But in the end, I am only my
reflection, even when I can't see it.
"Stop saying these negative things about yourself. Look in the mirror and find something about yourself that's positive and celebrate that!"
Tyra Banks
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
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