Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall...

When we look in the mirror, what do we really see? Do we see ourselves as a brave lion, as a scrappy tomcat, or as a road-kill pussycat? Do we see ourselves as we would prefer to think of ourselves, as others see us, or as God sees us? We can comb, brush, dye or perm our hair (if we have enough!), we can apply "touch-up paint" makeup to hide any blemishes, etc., but does all that change who we really are? The Apostle James, brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, wrote -

But be doers of the Word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a mirror; for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets but a doer of the word, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks himself to be religious while he doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. (James 1:22-27)

People may view us by what they see, hear or read about us. We may think we are putting on a good show by talking the good talk... but God views us by our walking the good walk: God sees us by what we actually DO. Are you a DOER of the Word? The Word is The Good News of Jesus Christ - His miraculous birth, His life of DOING good deeds - feeding the hungry, healing the sick, even raising the dead - and His resurrection from death!

You may think that it's impossible for you to do all those miracles, so it's out of the question. But you can feed the hungry, heal the sick, visit the orphans and widows in their affliction. This is what God sees, even if nobody else is watching. You can enroll in our four-week course Ministry to Handicapped and Poor that starts on Monday, Aug. 17. The Enrollment Deadline is Thursday, Aug. 13, so don't put it off or think someone else will do it... YOU DO IT!

In our Hosken-News of 01 Aug. 2015, you can read of the ongoing verbal dispute that accompanies the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Each side views itself as in the right, as the offended party. When an argument or a war starts up, it's very, very hard to say - "Stop! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" It's our human nature to justify ourselves and project the blame on the other side.

Recently, as I was finishing up work on The Good News of Jesus Christ, I couldn't continue: I had to stop right there and apologize to someone for getting angry. It may have been a shared responsibility, but someone had to start the process of reconciling with the other. No excuses. No putting it off.

What happens when we refuse to say "I'm sorry"? Our self-image is distorted in the mirror: we may continue to rationalize and justify ourselves, but deep inside we know it isn't true. And others can see it too. We're only fooling ourselves! As the beloved Apostle John wrote -

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in the darkness, we lie, and don't tell the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we haven't sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us. (1 John 1:6-10)

Are we saying that we haven't sinned, it's the other person's fault? If so, we're only deceiving ourselves. We're not fooling anybody else. Go ahead, face the facts and get it off your chest! You'll feel better and so will the other person, after normal relationships are restored we'll "have fellowship with one another" again!