REFLECTIONS

Each of us, at some stage or moment of our life, catches a reflection
of ourselves and asks who am I or what does life really hold for me.
What is meaningful? Sometimes that reflection comes in the form of
passing a store window or perhaps in a mirror as we apply make up or
examine a teenage zit. Many times that reflection heightens our
awareness of our physical imperfections and causes us to pause briefly
to stare a little harder at who we are or what we have become.

These moments of reflection stir in us the need to correct our
imperfections in order to improve our self esteem, to cover our
blemishes so others may not think less of us, or to admire what we see.

It is when we stare intensely at these reflections and we permit
ourselves to delve beyond the physical reflections that we begin to
search for the reality of who we are. We become uncomfortable with
our invisible imperfections which reflect our character. We begin to
chide ourselves for our past sins and our lack of honesty in our
relationships with each other and God and our belief system. We begin to
understand that there is more depth to life than that which is visible
to those we are routinely exposed to in our daily existence.

SO WHY IS THIS THE MOMENT I CHOOSE TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU?

Yesterday, as I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror in an
attempt to shave off three days of stubble from my face, I was made
acutely aware of my physical imperfections. My legs lack the strength
to stand, let alone walk or run, so I sit in my wheelchair. The nerves
in my body are short circuiting and cause me to seek help in getting
dressed, picking up after myself, washing and drying parts of my body
that I can no longer reach. I need help getting into and out of my bed
and car and even a chair. The mirror reflected the pain I am feeling
even with my freshly shaved face and combed hair. I knew that which I
saw in the mirror and what you can now see, is a disintegrating body
which cannot be corrected or covered or admired. There is no hiding
these physical imperfections. No make up, clothes, deodorant or even
the in vogue stubble on my chin can correct or cover up what is
happening to my physical body.

When I starred deeper into my reflected image I found that I was granted
a peek into the reality of who I am. I saw the man whose pride covered
his mistakes in honoring his wife. I saw the man who chose work to
feed his self worth instead of feeding his son and daughters with time
spent in understanding life. I saw a man who turned his back on people
because associating with them might have tarnished what other people
saw as me. I saw the man who publicly reflected love and service to
others yet sometimes did it to bring respect and honor to self. The
image I reflected to those who saw me acted as make up to hide my
internal imperfections they could not see but, at least in part, covered
the belief system I had professed.

I put away my razor. I wiped the left over streaks of shaving gel off
my face and then I did a final inspection in the mirror.

I found a different image looking back at me. I found God’s forgiveness
staring back at me. I found that He was not looking at me through the
eyes of others or through my eyes. He was not prejudiced by the
physical condition of my body. He was not forsaking me because of the
reality of who I really am and the artificial image I went through each
day with as who I was. He was looking at me through His own image. I
saw him looking at me through the eyes of CHRIST’S death and
resurrection. I saw him looking at me as perfectly healed physically
and spiritually.


I found that those hidden imperfections which I have struggled all my
life to cover or correct , or identify all my life had been simply
removed by the forgiving grace of God.

I am at peace with who I am today! I am confident that he is making
perfect what has been imperfect in my life.


The next time you see yourself in a mirror challenge yourself not to
cover up what others see. Challenge yourself to examine what others
cannot see. Then try to see yourself through God’s eyes filled with the
reflection of the grace He gave you by sacrificing His son.

I PROMISE THAT YOU WILL SEE THE REALITY OF WHO YOU ARE AND FIND PEACE IN
THE REFLECTION GOD SEES!


Steve Schoon