For most of the western world we have a routine that we do on a daily basis and probably don’t even know we do it. We wake up and go to the bathroom because our bladder has been calling out from a long night’s rest. On our way in, we take a look in the mirror to make sure our face didn’t have any additions and no changes were made while we were asleep. Then when we jump in the shower to get ready for our day.  After we are clean, get out of the shower and then stare at ourselves in the mirror while we brush our teeth and brush our hair. If you are girl you spend more time putting makeup on while sitting there making eye contact with yourself letting your brain go into overtime on the thinking highway.

This mirror is a constant reflection of how you look. It allows you to make sure you are always at your very best and look perfect. Throughout the day you can find them everywhere you go. Some people can find themselves in places that many wouldn’t even look to find a reflection. Now a days, seeing our self is at our fingertips. All you have to do is pull out your phone, switch on camera mode and you have a digital mirror 24/7.

With this, I feel like it is a great representation of our culture and who we are as people. When you are the focus of everything all day, it shows your heart and how vain we have become. For many we are more interested in how we look and what people will think about us than setting that aside and helping others. Our society spend billions on skin care, health products, plastic surgery, and other products to make us look better and feel better. Now I am not against any of that stuff, but I will say it shows our hearts by how much money and time we invest.

Being here in Africa, rarely do you see mirrors. Most can’t even afford them, but I will say it leaves more time for each other. Instead of the hours that we use in front of a mirror thinking about what we can change, they get out and spend time building lasting relationships and being selfless. The kids are out playing and having fun and enjoying life, while the parents are enjoying time together over a food preparation.

While mirrors are not bad in themselves I want to challenge you to add up the time that you spend staring into them thinking about yourself and see what you could do to use that time to be more selfless. The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us that Vanity is meaningless. You will get old someday, your skin will get wrinkly, and your body will begin to break down. That is life, that is the outcome of the fall, so spend your life focused the eternal…. not that which will eventually fade.

God Bless you!