When was the last time you looked in the mirror and thought, ”dang I look good?” Or when was the last time you took a selfie and said, “that’s the one. I look great?” Has it been a little while since that has happened? Isn’t it interesting that we can often be our biggest critic? We often are so critical of our smile, the blemish on our face, our hair, or body style. The list goes on and on. I have felt this way many times. I even struggle smiling with my mouth open showing my teeth because I’m insecure about how I look.
The other night Kara and I were preparing Hudson for bath time. We have been doing bath time every evening right after dinner and before bed. I took Hudson in the bathroom and stood him up in front of the mirror and there it was. He saw himself. The look of complete joy and pleasure came over him. It was the most special moment. I asked Kara to grab a quick picture. I’ve looked back at this photo several times now in awe of my son, whom I love so very much.
I have a couple different thoughts from this photo that was taken of Hudson looking at himself and being so amused. And yes, I am going to be a little spiritual here with this post. What if we could look in the mirror or a selfie the same way. What if we could find pure joy in what we saw, not out of vain confidence, but out of a gratitude and thankfulness for God’s handiwork. I read this scripture in one of my Bible plans this morning and it really spoke to me for some reason.
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”
Psalms 139:1-16 NLT
So, here is the point. God knew you, and he knew me. He made us and knit us together. He saw us before we were born. His workmanship is marvelous. What would change about our day and our life if we saw ourselves as wonderfully made. What if we worshipped God for his goodness when we saw his creation…ourselves.
The second thought I had was, God wants us to find joy in who we are and who he created us to be. We don‘t have to be self-depricating martyrs because we think we are supposed to be humble. No, look at my face in the picture below. I not only think my son is the best thing that has ever happened to me, but I also find so much joy in watching him find pleasure in what he sees. I would never want him to look in the mirror and frown or look away because he doesn’t like something he sees. No, I want and hope he finds joy. I had a part in making him. He’s my son. I’m so pleased with him and there is nothing he has to do or needs to do. Every part of him is perfect. God wants us to worship him with gratefulness and find pleasure because of his goodness.
This year has been a year about redefining what a win looks like in my life. Success this year is not finding joy in who I am because of something I have accomplished. Success and winning is giving God thanks for who I am because of Him. It is thanking Him for allowing me to be used to further HIs Kindsom. Redefining a win makes it less about me and more about God. How cool is that. God made me. He made me so that I could be used to tell others about Jesus with my unique gifts and talents. Thank you God. I praise you. I love you.
Now, go look in the mirror and give God praise for his handiwork.
