So I walked in the bathroom and looked up in the mirror and saw me! Shocking I know. But it had been a few days since I really took a gander at me. We had been moving at such a pace the whole time we were in Texas that I don’t think I saw myself in a mirror more than four times. Which got me thinking: Is that such a bad thing?
So you go on a big trip with the youth group. You know what it’s like. You deprived of sleep by the ton. You ate food you weren’t too sure about. You were in a place you didn’t know with people you just met. Overall you weren’t looking, sounding, feeling and definitely not smelling your best. You didn’t have a comfortable bed or even a legitimate shower. And yet, for all of that you loved it.
Why? There is no good reason why you should have loved it but you did. Why?
Well first off, I think there is the beauty of pure, clean fellowship. To enjoy life with the people of God and to be free to be who you are without fear of any real mean spiritedness is one of life’s greatest joys. I was just reading several articles about the sear epidemic of bullying at school and I couldn’t help but think of how safe our fellowship is. How sweet it is to walk in God’s way.
Then there is the joy of being in the Word with God’s people. God blesses such times. To have the mind renewed and refreshed with the pure, unadulterated truth is an oasis that is not run to often enough. We kick against the idea of a “media fast” and yet it is so rewarding. We need to break away from the usual, stressful goofiness of our daily routine and get back to matters of foremost importance. The Word of God, rightly divided, sets our minds back up on the high ground.
And then there is the delight of being selfless. Being “others oriented” is not something that is easily understood. It is one of those ironic paradoxes that God has built into the human experience. It is something that defies the naturalistic ideology of survival of the fittest. It is certainly counter intuitive to our natural way of thinking. Taking my mind off of me and the constant concern over self actually proves to produce elation. How about that?
In many ways we take ourselves far too seriously. We fret and fuss over hair, shoes and smells far more than they are worth. Not that its bad to smell nice but we can be preoccupied with these things to a degree that is alarming. It doesn't matter all that much if your hair is messed up a bit. It’s not the end of the world if people laugh at you instead of with you – for example if you are rocking the frumpy sweats + ugg boots + ugly t-shirt + bed head & running mascara look. It’s not that big of a deal. What is a big deal are the lives that you touch.
Let me just ask, are you sacrificing yourself in any way to the benefit of others? Are you willing to give up that precious sleep to have that meaningful conversation? Are you willing to forego the shower so you can laugh at another’s jokes and make them feel special? Are you willing to share your pillow for the comfort of a friend? Are you even willing to do that much?
I started by saying that I came home and saw myself in mirror. It was the first time in a while. I’ll be honest, I’ve looked, smelt, and felt better. But I was smiling. There is a beautiful release in letting go of peripheral things in the service of another. Back away from a mirror far enough so you can see everything, and everyone around you. Step back and watch what happens. Try it and see.
And if you're brave, come along with us the next time.
Much love
