Yesterday I was teaching the precious people at my church in Puyupungo about being ‘doers’ of the Word, and not just ‘hearers’. The Scripture compares it to a man who sees himself in the mirror, considers how he looks, and then walks away forgetting what he saw in the shiny glass. I’ve heard these Scriptures all my life, and understand clearly what they mean. But because I live in a place that is so different, I thought I”d better make sure they knew what this meant. So, about halfway into my teaching, I asked them, “How many of you have a mirror in your home?” They mostly just looked at me, hesitant to respond. Then I repeated it, saying, “A mirror, Something so you can see yourself, brush your hair and teeth, and get yourself all ‘pretty’ for the day, how many own a mirror?” Every single person in the church began to shake their head, ‘No’. Some even answered out loud, “No, Sis. Susan, I don’t have one of those in my home.” Nobody had one. Not one person.
It was something so small, but it just tugged at my heart. Their life is not about vanity, not about how pretty they can fix up, not about how cool or snazzy they can deck out in their new duds. My heart was moved. They don’t even own a small 50 cent or 1 dollar mirror in which they can behold their beautiful faces with big dark eyes and coffee colored skin every day. I had to do something so they could understand the Word then. So, I pulled out my little hand held mirror that I carry in my purse and I passed it around the church, showing everyone their beautiful smiles and eyes and hair in the mirror and Oh! How they laughed and giggled and turned red in the cheeks! Such a tiny thing brought such joy to them! It’s moments like these that make me remember what a very different world I’m in here, with people who live a very different way, but yet the Word of God is for everyone, and He sends missionaries to help them understand His glorious Word, that all might have salvation. And I realize that sometimes that might come just by letting them see their face in a mirror.
