OUT TO PASTOR: Mirror, mirror, on the wall – stop laughing

As old as I am, and I expect to get as old as possible, I have noticed that I see things differently than I did a few years ago. I’m not sure if my vision has changed or my perspective. But one thing is certain; something has changed.

A lot of things are very aggravating in my life. When I think I got them all lined up, I find something more aggravating than all of them put together.

But the most aggravating thing in my life is the mirror in my bathroom.

I would like to know who it was that invented the mirror and I would like to give him a piece of my mind, if I have any pieces left. A few things may be okay with the mirror, but my mirror is terrible from my current perspective.

The other morning it dawned on me. I walked into the bathroom, glanced at my mirror, and laughed. At first, I did not know what I was laughing at until I re-examined my mirror.

There this person was, hair going in every direction, at least the hair that was left, and wrinkles all over the face to such an extent I could not recognize the face. So I just busted out laughing for all I was worth.

I guess it’s good to start each day with laughter. If I’m having a good day, I can measure it by my laughter.

The more I looked at the image in the mirror, the more I began to see something familiar. Then, all at once, I gasped and said, “Oh, my goodness. That’s me!”

When that dawned on me, I realized that either the mirror was crazy or I was. For the record, I believe it was the mirror that was crazy.

Looking at the reflection in the mirror, I said to myself that nobody, I mean nobody, could look that crazy even in the morning after a night of dreaming nightmares.

I know some people, especially those living under our roof, believe that the mirror is very truthful in its reflection. So what you see in that mirror is what is absolutely true.

I don’t think I’m the only one to suspicion the legitimacy of the bathroom mirror. After all, it’s in that bathroom 24 hours a day every day, so what does it do during all of that time? What is it seeing?

Thinking about this, I thought it might be good to put some blinds on my bathroom mirror only to use it when I want to use it. Who knows what that bathroom mirror is seeing all day long. So how do I know that that mirror has not crossed the line somewhere into crazyville?

The thing that I thought about the other day was, is the reflection I see in that mirror what other people see when I’m on the outside? I certainly hope not.

That bathroom mirror is very judgmental. And by that, I mean, it only sees me on the outside and defines me by my outer appearance. It doesn’t see the inside of me, which would make all the difference in the world.

I thought maybe I should talk this over with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage; is my mirror lying to me?

The danger of that is, what if she agreed with my mirror? What if she told me that what I see in the mirror is what other people on the outside are seeing as well?

Of course, it could explain why so many people laugh when they see me coming. Up to this point, I thought they were laughing because they enjoyed my company. What if it’s not that?

The other morning the wife went shopping, so I thought I would try an experiment. I would go into my bathroom, look in my mirror, and then go into her bathroom and look in her mirror to see any difference.

Imagine my disappointment when my wife’s mirror reflected the same image that my bathroom mirror did. I think those two mirrors are in cahoots with one another, and this reflection proves it.

Another thought was to take a picture of me when I was young and have it blown up to the size of the mirror and put it on my mirror. Then, every morning, when I looked into the mirror, I would see a very young version of myself.

I went as far as to pick out the picture I would use for my bathroom mirror.

I’ve been thinking of many ways to trick my mirror into getting a better image of myself when I get up in the morning. So far, nothing has worked, and I still have that old man in the mirror looking back at me laughing.

I couldn’t help but think of a verse of Scripture, “Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:21).

Sometimes my sight is wrong and what I’m seeing is not reality. I discovered that God leads me down a path I’m unfamiliar with, and I can’t see the next step; I cannot judge how I’m going by my sight. I simply need to trust God.

Dr. James L. Snyder lives in Ocala, FL with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 1-352-216-3025, e-mail jamessnyder51@gmail.com. Website is www.jamessnyderministries.com.