Musing… The ‘hall of mirrors’ at the funfair… curved mirrors that give a humorous, scary or flattering image – depending on which of my bits were enlarged, diminished or distorted…
Musing… the old children’s rhyme:
There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile,
He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile;
He bought a crooked cat which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.
I may like to think well of my appearance, thoughts, actions or character. But I’m crooked.
I may try to find a mirror that will cover up my imperfections… distort me sufficiently to make my image acceptable to me and to those around me… making me look less crooked than I really am… I’m crooked.
Musing… Ezekiel 28… about the King of Tyre:
‘In the pride of your heart you say: ‘I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god…’ But you are man and not a god…’
Looking in the magnifying mirror enlarges reality – the holiday, the new car, the latest home improvement. Our achievements, the promotion at work, the successful family.
Christian people… may be committed to worship, hear wonderful sermons, see amazing miracles, serve the community selflessly…
The magnifying mirror enlarges reality. I’m not God.
Musing… The ordinary flat mirror reflects reality … the daily, routine or mundane – waking and sleeping, eating and washing, conversations with friends and neighbours, reading a book, watching TV…
…another day at work, household chores, living with pain, sickness or disability, accepting dependency or disappointment…
Musing on St Paul’s words: ‘I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation; whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want.’ He looked in his flat mirror, saw reality and was content.
He concluded: ‘I can do everything through him who gives me strength.’ He appreciated the strength his God gave him in the ordinary.
malcolmsmusings.org 