A Mirror Test

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Chosen. Priest. Holy. Special. Are these words that you would use to describe yourself? The Apostle Peter was writing to followers of Jesus who did not see themselves this way. But they needed to! And maybe you do, too.

Have you heard of The Mirror Test? It’s an exam that you would pass…because it is usually given to animals. It’s a self-awareness test and the vast majority of animals do not do very well on this quiz. In fact it is very remarkable if one of our four-legged or feathered friends gets it. But if a human being does not recognize themselves in a mirror, there is something tragically wrong.

But when we look in the mirror do we see reality?

We often deceive ourselves about the way we look and sound. Do you like to listen to a recording of your voice or watch a video of yourself? I know what you say, “I don’t sound like that!”… “I don’t look like that!” Of course you do, cameras don’t lie! What’s been happening is that we have been deceiving ourselves about the way we sound and look. But there is good news too: your friends and family love you anyway, and they think you look and sound just fine.

I think we often have a similar spiritual problem. We do not see ourselves according to the truth the Lord has given us in Christ. We know our faults, failures, and frustrations. And that’s the lingering image we have of ourselves.

But the Lord has a different picture. God is like the new mother in the hospital who finally gets a moment alone with her newborn. And she says, “You are my baby. I love you. I am so happy with you.” Do you remember God saying something like that? He said it to Jesus when he was baptized (except for the baby part) in Mark 1.

I know what you’re thinking: “O sure, God said that to Jesus. Jesus was perfect. But I’m sinner.” That’s not what the Lord calls you. He calls you His son. He calls you His daughter. Let the words of the Apostle Paul wash over you:

Galatians 3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I am convinced that at your baptism God said the same thing to you that he said to Jesus, “You are my son/daughter. I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

Look in the mirror. What do you see? No, look again. You see there the image of a child of God. Chosen. Priest. Holy. Special.