As I sat in my living room on New Year’s Eve, pondering on what my first blog post will be about, I wondered if speaking about my journey to mirroring Christ was a good idea, or if writing about my resolutions for the new year will be a much better topic. Well, I won’t be talking about any of that, at least not yet.
Entering a new year can be quite challenging for many individuals. Some might be considering a fresh start due to past mistakes or choices, or perhaps they're embarking on a new project, as I am. Meanwhile, others are in the process of discovering their identity and purpose. I believe that at some point, we will all encounter questions, situations, or circumstances that will bring us to face the reflections we see in the mirror. Now, what do I mean by that?
A mirror, in simple terms, is a reflection of an image, and in this case, our image. Oftentimes, we encounter points in our life's journey where we wonder what reflection we are faced with. There are individuals who question and despise the reflection that stares back at them daily, monthly, or some, yearly. I think the error, lie or even misconception we have about the mirror, is that what we see is who we are. Logically speaking, of course, what we see in the mirror is a reflection of who we are. Or at least, what we look like. Imagine a person who is drunk looking in the mirror. Without a doubt, what he or she sees is a person who is clearly intoxicated. However, the aspect of the mirror, I want us to recognize, even as we enter into a new year, is that the image we see should not reflect me when I stare at it, neither should it reflect you.
There are many people in the scripture, like the woman caught in the act of adultery, Paul, who persecuted Christians, and Peter, who betrayed Christ, whom it seemed as though God did not look at them based on the reflections that stared right at them, or the reflections others saw of them. We have the story of a woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11, whom the Pharisees and Sadducees desired to stone to death due to the sin she reflected. However, what actions did Christ take? In verse 7 of John 8, He said "So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” The Pharisees and Sadducees saw a sinner worth killing. Christ saw a sinner worth saving. He did not view her based on the image she had reflected. Instead, His command to the woman was “go and sin no more.”
To forsake sin is to take on Christ. To “sin no more” is to behold Him. Christ did not want her to see or reflect the sin of adultery any more, but instead to forsake it. The Bible affirms that old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new. To mirror Christ is to behold him. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “but we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image.”
Hence, while we are met with questions, situations, circumstances that could bring us to question and wonder the reflections we see in the mirror, we need to start substituting our reflection with the reflection of Christ. Rather than to behold our sins, disappointments, mistakes, traumas, and pain, we behold Christ. And as we behold Him, we are transformed.
He doesn’t leave us to our own reflection. Instead, he begins to transform us into his image the moment we decide to mirror, reflect, and behold him.
I understand that this may sound simple, but pardon me to say, it is simple. The gospel of Christ is simple and true and alive. John 10:10 explains that the thief's only purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. Christ's coming, death and resurrection was for us to experience abundant lives. We have the choice to either imitate Him or imitate the thief, the devil who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. So, if you are in need of help, behold Christ, not the thief. When faced with circumstances and problems beyond your control, behold Christ, not the problem. If you are confronted with traumas that slowly cause you to reflect the image of those who have hurt you, behold the image of Christ, not the destroyer. If you are uncertain about what God requires of you, simply behold him. The reflections you see in the mirror does not have to bring you down to your knees in condemnation. The reflections you see, which should be the image of Christ, should instead bring you back up to repentance and transformation, because the mirror is not only meant to behold Christ, but to also be transformed into his image.
I guess I was finally able to figure out what to talk about after all. Indeed, this is a good year and a good time to mirror Christ. So, I ask, who will you choose to mirror?
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