I am not the fairest of them all. I don't need a mirror to tell me that or to tell me who is.
I am not the smartest, most fashionable or wittiest. I am not sure I am the most anything.
Yesterday at MOPS (Mothers Of PreSchoolers if you don't know and have wondered every time you've seen me mention it before) I said how I tell my kids I wished they could see themselves the way we see them and a friend ~E~ suggested we would all benefit from seeing ourselves through other's eyes.
She has a point. I don't know how other people view me and I bet there are a lot of opinions about me that I don't want or need to know. It is none of my business, I've said before, what people think of me. However, there are times when seeing ourselves through another's eyes could be beneficial.
What if we could see ourselves through another person's eyes; not their opinions or judgments, but ourselves, our good and bad, the things we do well, and the things that are not so great, the gifts we don't recognize and the flaws we are unaware of?
What if I could say, "Mirror , mirror on the wall...?" Would I listen with an open heart and mind and grow in humility and confidence or would I bring poisoned apples to those who were better or break the mirror? Would I give equal credence to the positives and the negatives? I tend to shrink the positives until they are microscopic and I inflate the negatives to the size of a hot air balloon.
What if the mirror I looked in was one of God's grace? What if instead of seeing myself through a mirror of human reality, I was able to look at myself as forgiven, saved, precious and valuable because I was created by God for a purpose? Better yet, what if when I was looking at others, I looked at them through that lens of God's grace instead of my opinions, judgments, irritations and yes, crankiness?
Mirror, mirror on the wall, help me to see a world of beauty God created, not the imperfections that sin emphasizes. Lord, help me to see the truth and not be deceived by fun house mirror reflections.
-Peace
My husband often says he wishes I could see myself through his eyes. Then he'll back down and say, "But then you'll get a big head." HAHA
ReplyDeleteHi Stacey. I am trying to replay to your comment on my blog but your email below is not working. Can you email me so I can send you the novel I wrote in response to your one simple question? =D
ReplyDeleteI was unable to get to your email. When I click on send me an email, it gives my computer a hissy and then says it cannot download the programs. can you possibly email me at jcnemom@hotmail.com?
ReplyDeleteBecause I am looking forward to reading your "novel". The outfits you've made are precious. :)
ReplyDeleteHallee, that is wonderful. I have a difficult time hearing compliments and when my husband
ReplyDeletesays them, I usually roll my eyes as in "you have to say that because you're married to me." :)
I've always fought my weight and used to be really down on myself when I was a kid. No self esteem at all. My grandma told me very sternly "God doesn't make junk!" I began telling myself that "God doesn't make junk" and that He has a purpose and a plan for me and that was an amazing transformation. It didn't happen overnight, but it did change the way I saw myself! :)
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