“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”
How many times have we heard this line from the story Snow White? The Wicked Queen asks the magic mirror this question every day, and until the appearance of Snow White the reflection responds that she, the Wicked Queen, is the fairest. The only problem with this answer is that the mirror is only looking at outward appearance. It does not judge her evil heart, blackened with jealousy and cruelty. What would she have done if the mirror had pointed out her wicked ways?
There is no such thing as a magic mirror, but James, the brother of Jesus, likens the Bible to a looking glass. This God-breathed mirror is active and living. It pierces into the innermost parts of a person’s heart and reveals the truth about those who take the time to read it – the good, the bad, and the ugly!
James 1:22-25 “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
While peering into Philippians one comes across the words, “Do all things without grumbling or complaining.” For some this will point out a dissatisfied spirit. Or maybe the words, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am” will illuminate a heart that is discontented. Hebrews 13:5 reminds us to “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money.” These are not pretty sights.
But what good is a mirror if we do not correct what is wrong?
The other day I arrived at work in disarray. I looked in the mirror and saw that some of my hair had been pulled out of the ponytail and was sticking up all over the place. If I had walked away without fixing the mess, everyone I met that day would wonder about me. Thankfully, I heeded the cue from my mirror and fixed my hair so that no one was aware of the problem.
We are always so quick to fix all the natural things that a looking glass reveals, but are we as careful to be doers of the Word instead of hearers only? James says “the one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
Hearing that leads to doing brings blessing!
Here are some tips for reading your Bible thoughtfully with the goal of life change:
- Read the passage all the way through numerous times and even use different versions if you can.
- Study the passage carefully to make sure you understand the meaning within the context of the book and of the Bible as a whole.
- Meditate on the words by thinking about them deeply and even memorizing them.
- Pray that God will search your heart and reveal any areas that need adjusting.
- When His Holy Spirit points out a rough spot make a plan to take action.
Some good questions to ask yourself while reading are:
- Is there an example to follow?
- Is there a warning to heed?
- Is there an action to take?
- Is there a sin to avoid?
- Is there a thought to change?
Considering these things will lead to truths by which you can make personal application.
If only the Wicked Queen had become aware of her evil heart and repented, she could have had a much better ending.
But we can learn from her failure. God, Who promises to meet all our needs if only we will seek Him and His kingdom first (Matt 6:33-34), has given us His Word as a looking glass – a spiritual mirror – to show us our shortcomings so that He can bring about a life change by His Spirit living in us. Allow the mirror of His Word to illuminate the places in your heart that need correction and act upon it to grow more like Him.
“Mirror, Mirror of God’s Word . . .” – Will you consult the mirror of God’s Word and follow His leading?
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