"You talking to me?"

I don't know why but that movie quote just flashed through my mind. The past few days I have noticed a gorgeous cardinal bird perched on my car. The boys and I have been watching the bird for many weeks since it lives in the trees behind their rooms. But Saturday it got an attitude and shifted its focus from worms and nuts and bugs to himself. He has been flittering between the side window and the brush guard of hubbys truck. From these two vantage points he can see himself in a mirror or the chrome bumper. I am pretty sure that he doesn't know that he is looking at his reflection. But it has been hilarious to watch this beautiful bird try to beat up his opponent. He perches, taunts and then attacks his reflection. Occassionally he flies up and looks behind the mirror but then goes right back to the insanity of trying to eradicate something that cannot be beat. I have been amused and also felt a little sad for the bird. That is until I was walking past and he proceeded to do a fly by a little tooo close to my eyes. I would like to keep those, thank you very much.

But the bird got me thinking about how often we spend our time and energy fighting the person we see in the mirror. Sometimes when we notice circumstances in our lives we just start blindly throwing punches without realizing that it may have been our own choices that put us in that situation. We want someone to blame, a quick fix and the satisfaction of knowing that we are innocent and that we are just truly victims of other peoples choices and randomness. Sometimes that is true but sometimes it is not.

The Word of God says in James 1:23-27

For if anyone only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a mirror; For he thoughtfully observes himself, and then goes off and promptly forgets what he was like. But he who looks carefully into the faultless law, the [law] of liberty, and is faithful to it and perseveres in looking into it, being not a heedless listener who forgets but an active doer [who obeys], he shall be blessed in his doing (his life of obedience). If anyone thinks himself to be religious (piously observant of the external duties of his faith) and does not bridle his tongue but deludes his own heart, this person's religious service is worthless (futile, barren). External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of GOd the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world. (Amplified)

So often we fight the man in the mirror because we do not recognize him. Why don't we recognize him? Is it possible that who we think we are and who the Lord knows we are might look different? Perhaps I am looking at my reflection through my eyes of piety and pride, measuring myself on a religious yardstick. I see what I do and who I want to be. God sees me as I am, warts and all, He loves me unconditionally and He sees the woman He created me to be. How do I become the person God sees? Obedience. When I am obedient and seek God above all else, my perspective will begin to shift and He will open my eyes to see things differently. I will begin to see the areas of my life that have not been surrendered. I will learn to trust, I will learn to lean, I will learn to let go. I will begin to love the Lord in a new and wonderful way. I will begin to walk in love with others. And I will begin to see a new reflection in the mirror. And I will not forget what that woman looks like. I will stop fighting the woman in the mirror because I will not be deceived and blinded by pride, fear, doubt and pain. God sent His Son, Jesus to Christ to bring freedom, not to enslave. My obedience should flow from love for my Father, not out of a religous obligation or spiritual checklist.

I am tired of fighting a fight that I cannot win against an opponent that I cannot see. I am ready to trust and lean into the One who already fought the fight and won. And because of Him, I can walk in victory. I think it is time to change my anthem and song. How often have I looked foolish like that silly cardinal fighting myself when I could be the beautiful creation He created and fly high, leading others to the Lord I know and the freedom He brings?

So thrilled that the Lord takes ordinary, daily events to teach me a lesson. He loves you that much too. Just don't ignore them.