When do you use a mirror, and why? What do you usually look at in the mirror? Good drivers always use the rearview mirror before changing lanes. Many moms of young children use the rearview mirror to monitor the kids in the back seat while driving.

Most people look at themselves in the mirror before they leave the house, to see if there is something amiss they must correct before leaving the house. The mirror helps us to see ourselves as we really are, especially as we appear to others. For example, lipstick on a lady’s lips looks great; but if the lipstick trail goes down her chin, it can be downright embarrassing. So it is helpful to use a mirror to make sure that the lipstick is on the lips!

The truth is that we all need honest, reliable feedback to reveal to us what we perhaps are not seeing. I remember that one of the teaching tools used in graduate school to evaluate a preacher’s presentation was for the preacher to preach a message to the class and a video recorder. Then each presenter met with the professor to watch and evaluate their own video presentation. It was a very unsettling, yet helpful, learning technique because we could see ourselves as a congregation would see us. The professor would replay parts that revealed mannerisms we perhaps were not aware of, such as smacking or repeatedly moistening the lips. He would give suggestions on how to correct that mannerism or habit to improve our speaking abilities.

In a way, a counselor acts as a mirror. Counselors can hold up a figurative mirror to help their client see and understand parts of themselves that they don’t recognize. God also uses sermons to reveal things to us that we need to add, expand, change, improve, or delete in our life. Organizations, and churches also need figurative mirrors in order to see themselves as they really are and address things that need addressed. At present I am reading some materials that were created to help churches look at themselves, and by looking in the self-reflecting mirror to discover reality.

In many ways, reliable mirrors help us know ourselves better, and reveal ourselves more effectively to others. Christians have access to two very reliable mirrors into which we can look to get an accurate reflection of our lives and status. The first is the Bible, God’s message to us. In James 1:22–24 (NLT) we read: “But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.” Put simply, if God shows you something out of place, or that needs correcting, then correct it. To ignore it is to go out with your lipstick all over your chin. You might fool yourself by thinking that no one will notice, but they notice!

The second mirror into which we can look to evaluate ourselves is looking into the face and life of Jesus. As Jesus’ image is reflected onto us, and we can compare our lives to his. When we do this we see our flaws, our needs and the goal towards which we are to move. In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul described the transforming power of the confronting reality which is found in Christ, and of how to cooperate with God as he transforms us into the image of Christ. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) states: “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord — who is the Spirit — makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His glorious image.”

We all know the importance of evaluating our physical appearance in a quality mirror. How much more important is it to regularly evaluate ourselves as we read the Bible, and as we behold ourselves in the face of the glory of Jesus? In this way we realize how our image and character needs to be transformed to become more like His.

Mirror, mirror, in my heart, show me the light, and dispel the dark.

Award-winning columnist Dr. Ed Jordan is pastor of Gwynn’s Island Baptist Church, Gwynn, VA. He can be reached at szent.edward@gmail.com.