“I know that’s a lie. It’s patently false.” I said to myself when I looked in the mirror. We’re in a hotel this morning and thought I’d make use of the magnifying mirror in the bathroom. What met me in the reflection was surprisingly rude. So rude was the mirror that I said it was a lying vanity (very bad pun intended).
When did that wrinkle show up? And how did I not notice that my eyebrows were out of control? The gray hairs don’t bother me, though. My dad had beautiful silver hair and I think mine is following suit. The grays made me smile as I remembered him. Dad’s only been gone five months so his loss is still fresh. I hope that my hair will be the same gray as his was.
That’s a lie but I’m resigned to it
Resigned to what the mirror told me, I sighed and smiled. I’m smiling now as I think about the privilege of growing older. Not everyone gets to live long enough to see their children grow, marry, and have their own children. And, not everyone has the privilege of living with their life’s great love for as long as I have.
Once I was done telling the mirror it’s lying and with my nostalgic reverie, it was time for my devotions. It wasn’t surprising, then, when I cam across 2 Corinthians 3:18. I think God set me up.
While I am aging outwardly, inwardly I’m transforming. Transforming is different from aging in that when we age, our bodies are slowing down, heading toward death. When we transform into God’s image inwardly, we are not filled with death – but with His life.
Transformed just a bit more
Every day as I set myself to grow in my relationship with God, I am transformed just a bit more. And, that transformation can be seen outwardly in how I live. I have an inside track with God. He keeps me close so that the goings-on of this life won’t consume me. I’m changing from being filled with the cares of life to being filled with the cares of heaven.
Don’t mistake this for me being fatalistic. The perspective God gives as we’re transformed into His image helps us to live fruitfully in this world. If you read 2 Peter 1:5-8, you’ll see that there is a reason for living in close connection with God. As we stay close to Him, we live productive lives in an increasingly complicated world. We are here for a reason and that reason is to spread God’s love far and wide.
Just ditch the mirror
But that mirror made me mad this morning. I think I’ll look for some anti-aging cream. There’s always a new one on the shelf. I’ve tried loads of them, but I always look the same 😂. Another wrinkle here, a bit of tiredness there. That’s a lie, but not really.
On the other hand, I could just ditch looking in the magnifying mirror.
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