Through a Glass Darkly

What do you make of a character that loiters around your house and waits for an inconvenient time to get in your face about something; you know like a zit, an ugly tie or a bad hair day. I think he sits on the edge of the tub on the other side of the wall and jumps up when he hears me coming and throws himself up against the glass about the time I arrive. There’s a person who looks just like you who hangs out in your hall and insists on giving you his approval before he lets you leave the house. Sometimes he looks worse than you do and causes you to start feeling like he looks. Or at least until you come to terms with the moment.

What does he do all day while I’m at work? I can tell he’s not a good housekeeper. I think he comes through the glass and goes through my personal affects while I’m away and then when I see him he acts like he didn’t do anything wrong. And what’s with that stupid grin when he thinks he’s come up with an original thought? I’ve come to believe that this curious yet suspicious fellow has been following me around. I saw him at the mall the other day on a surveillance monitor stalking me. He even showed up at church on several occasions observing my reflection in the vestibule window. When I go to buy clothes I seldom go into the fitting room because I’m concerned that he’ll make me out to be fashion deprived and obsolete style wise. And there is an added insult. This dude’s picture is on my drivers’ license. If he gets into trouble with the law, I get to hold the numbers during the photo portion of the arrest process while he remains unaffected. So if you see any resemblance to a person like this in your mirror, be advised that you’ll have to come up with your own alibi. He’ll expect you to cover for him.

In that other scene behind the wall people come and go from time to time near and around that window in between two worlds. When you are there next time see if you really recognize that person who has claimed your facial features. He might attempt to convince you that he can understand what makes you anxious and can feel your pain; you know, like Bill Clinton. But don’t take it too seriously if he just makes a face at you. That’s what he does for a living. Sometimes you just have to turn your back on him and he’ll go away. He will of course return occasionally to remind you to adjust your self esteem methodology. When you were younger it didn’t matter that much but now that time has had its way the truth may have become an unkind opportunist. You must do business with that image and face the fact that you may not know that person at all. The apostle Paul said in one passage; For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Cor 13:12. If you turn off the light the person in question doesn’t seem to be so threatening and doesn’t have an opinion or any recognizable features at all. But in order to make those suitable repairs one must have the light on and face the future head on.

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. James 1: 22-25

This is the day that the Lord has made.. now go out there and make something of it too.

Here’s looking at you, T. LaVigne