Reflecting the True Self
I have a great mirror in my bathroom. It sits at just the right height and angle, and is surrounded by some really good lighting. When I’m getting ready each morning, I can fix my hair and outfit just the way I like and head out of the house with some confidence.
But a funny thing often happens later in the day. I walk past another mirror or a store window and catch my reflection, and I’m a little surprised. That good-looking lady looks a bit wonkier than she did in her own mirror with that great lighting. Hair slightly askew. Smile not quite as bright. Clothes not hanging nearly as nicely. Sometimes I don’t even recognize her.
It makes me wonder if some of the false self Pastor Jay has been teaching about was lingering in that perfectly lit, well-angled mirror. What I think is my true self is often just the image I’ve chosen to present to the world. The one preoccupied with how I appear to others, shaped by a few societal expectations, my own ego, and a giant heap of need for acceptance thrown in just for fun.
But what Jesus invites us to offer the world is something different: our authentic, true self. The person God created us to be, inside and out. A life reflecting God’s grace and God’s gifts, with His love flowing through us.
Each day holds small moments where God can reshape us into that true self, the one that reflects His image. Sometimes that transformation can begin before we even step away from the mirror.
“We can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him.“ ~2 Corinthians 3:18
As theologian Michael Bird says, we are invited to “work out what God has worked in”; actively participating in the transformation of our lives so that who we are becomes more aligned with who Christ created us to be. The more we allow God to shape our true self, the more our lives begin to reflect the life of Christ.
Pastor Jay has explained that a cruciform life isn’t about appearing polished or impressive. It’s about living in a way that is shaped by the principles of the cross, emphasizing sacrifice, humility, and following the example of Jesus.
Sometimes that formation happens in the quiet, ordinary moments of the day. A choice to be patient instead of defensive, choosing humility instead of pride, or taking the chance to love someone when our ego would rather just tell them we are right.
Little by little, the false self loosens its grip, and as we cooperate with God, the cross shapes our lives, transforming weakness into love, brokenness into glory, and the image we bear into something more like Christ. Then what the world sees in us starts to look a little more like the image we were created to bear all along.
The real work isn’t just fixing what we see in the mirror, but allowing the Holy Spirit to transform the one who’s looking back, freeing us from the image we try to project, and forming in us a life that truly reflects Jesus. But I wouldn’t mind if He helped with a few wild, gray hairs while He’s at it.
Reflection Questions::
• Where in your life are you most aware of presenting a “false self” - trying to manage how others see you rather than living from who God created you to be?
• What is one small, everyday moment this week where you can choose the cruciform way of Jesus - humility, patience, or self-giving love - over your natural reaction?
•. What might it look like for you to “work out what God has worked in” today? How is the Holy Spirit inviting you to step more fully into your true self?
