Look Into the Mirror

By Johnny Hester

James 1:23-25, "For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."
    Grandpa and his precious, tiny granddaughter were sitting together talking when she asked, “Did God make you, Grandpa?” “Yes, God made me,” the grandfather answered. After a significant pause, the little girl asked him, “Did God make me too?” “Yes, He did,” the old man responded. For a few minutes the little girl seemed to be studying her grandpa, as well as her own reflection in a nearby mirror. The grandfather wondered what thoughts were running through her innocent, inquisitive mind. At last she broke the silence: “You know what, Grandpa,” she said in child-like candor, “God’s been doing a lot better job lately.”
    I love that story. But it hurts a little. A well-made mirror does not lie. We may not like mirrors, but we need them to determine whether we are presentable.
    To determine whether we are acceptable to God, we need to look continually into the mirror of His Word. As we see our reflection in view of what He requires of us, we can make adjustments by bringing our lives into compliance with His will. Thus, according to James’ inspired words, one will “be blessed in what he does.”
    Our Bible classes provide a great opportunity for us to look into God’s Word and take stock of where we are in our spiritual lives. If you already attend and actively participate in the studies, you already know the blessings produced in your own lives. Keep it up. If you do not regularly attend any of our Bible class offerings, please give them a try. I think you will discover blessings in your life resulting from consistently looking into the mirror of God’s Word.

- Johnny Hester preaches for the Matthews Church of Christ in Matthews, MO. He may be contacted at johnnyhester@yahoo.com