We had three mirrors in our house. Bedroom, bathroom, dining room. All three are approximately 2 ft. in diameter, just enough to see the top of your head down to your chest. This is great for makeup (Patty’s, not mine…), hair (again Patty’s, not mine…), and correct positioning of a skull cap (you guess…). Last week we took a day trip to IKEA in New Haven, CT. This is a great furniture store with a modern slant and amazing prices. Well worth a 2 hour drive. One of the pieces bought on this trip was a full length, 6 ft tall mirror, framed in a chunky espresso-colored wood. Now, when you stand in our bedroom and face the mirror, you see a lot more than your hat and makeup. You see the whole shebang, head to toe. This is helpful when deciding if your Steve Maddens match your watch and belt, but can be depressing when you see other parts of this 36 year old shell I have been given to be a steward of. Often I’d rather see the 2 ft. thumbprint of Scott, not the 6 ft. widescreen.

We’re in the season of Lent. 40 days that follow the 40 wilderness days of Christ as He moves towards His torture and murder, and ultimately, His resurrection. It’s a time of self-reflection, searching, fasting, and prayer. When we reach Good Friday, it will be time for us to be “crucified with Christ” (Gal.2:20), putting to death our sin and carnal humanity, in exchange for Christ (“I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me”), on Easter Sunday.

I will push you as I push myself during this season, to deny the temptation to see ourselves only in the limited 2 ft. reflection, which shows us what we want and ignores the rest. And instead, give ourselves over to the full picture: good, bad, and ugly. And let Christ point out the defects that need to be co-crucified with Him. Not in a weird, dysfunctional, self-condemning way, but in a God-motivated, “moving toward holiness” way. Embrace the process……