Mirror, Mirror

I put on my make up over an hour before I needed to leave. About 15 minutes before leaving the house, I threw on my olive green pants and the light pink shirt that I have worn with it numerous times before I left on the Race. 

I walked into the bathroom to look in the mirror, only to see a hodge podge of features that I didn’t find flattering. I grunted and marched back into my room, pulling out a loose black shirt. 

I found myself in front of the mirror again, thinking that the shirt was too long. I tied it in a knot by my hip and looked up again. Now I could see the muffin top poking out on the opposite hip. I pulled the shirt out of the knot and made my way back to the closet.

Another black shirt. It was slimmer, and actually showed both muffin tops that I saw screaming through my reflection. 

I sighed in frustration, but realized that I’d completely blown through the last 15 minutes. I yank on the shirt in hopes that it’ll stretch away from my hips, and head out the door. 

I even muttered to myself as I walked away from the mirror that last time. 

Why does this even matter?

A few weeks ago, I was in Costa Rica wearing the same black shirt that I tied in a knot. And I always tied that thing in a knot over there, too. But I didn’t always second guess what it looked like, or change out of it. 

We had mirrors where we stayed, don’t get me wrong. I just didn’t really look in them that much. I didn’t wear make up, and I had the same shirts and shorts that I had most of the Race. 

It’s not like I could go back to my closet if any of the 7 shirts I owned all the sudden weren’t appealing anymore. 

And I was fine. I didn’t change my outfit multiple times every morning. I didn’t take the time to stare in the mirror. 

I think the enemy uses geography to get to me. If I weren’t in the States going to a typical Sunday service, I wouldn’t have cared as much. Just like I didn’t in all those other countries. 

Let’s not allow geography, circumstances, or others dictate our perception of ourselves. The Lord didn’t create us to see our identity in the worldly things. In Genesis 1 it says that we are created in His image [verse 27], and I am so thankful that He continues to remind me of that.