“And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 3:18, NRSV

Have you ever imagined what would life be like without mirrors?  I guess the ladies are more grateful for the invention of mirrors, right?

How would a typical girl’s life be like without mirrors in the bedroom, the dressing room, the bathroom and handbag?

Did you know that technically, no one can see one’s own face or head? What you see as your face or head is a mere reflection from the mirror.

There are people who complain that some mirrors ‘insult’ because they don’t reflect an ‘accurate’ image of what they are supposed to look like.

Anyhow, apart from being used in the beauty industry, mirrors are also of great importance in industries such as motoring, photography, optics, security, anatomy, aviation, astronomy, among others.

In our meditation today, the apostle Paul uses the mirror, a common personal grooming tool, to explain a profound spiritual mystery.

It’s a summary of the theme that he had developed at the beginning of the chapter, contrasting the New Testament, represented by Christ, and the Old Testament, represented by Prophet Moses. 

When by revelation we look at the glory of God as reflected in Christ, it’s like we’re seeing our own reflection in the mirror – we appear exactly as heaven sees us – irrespective of what other people purport to see.

He explains that as for Moses, he had to wear a veil because the people feared to look at the glory that his face reflected when he returned from God’s presence at the mountain (Exodus 34:33). 

They were afraid that they would die if they looked at the glory of God that was reflected in Moses’ face.

He therefore insists that the ministry of Christ in the New Testament is more glorious than that of Moses because there is no need for Christ to wear a veil as Moses and the Israelites did. 

In Hebrews 1:3, Christ is described as “the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His person,” and “the image of the invisible God” in Colossians 1:15.

That implies that if God were to look in a mirror, He would see His Son Jesus Christ. Similarly, if you’re to look in God’s mirror, you would see Jesus.

In James 1:23-24, the Bible says that a person who hears the Word of God but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

When by revelation we look at the glory of God as reflected in Christ, it’s like we’re seeing our own reflection in the mirror – we appear exactly as heaven sees us – irrespective of what other people see.

Gradually, we are transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. Hallelujah!

Prayer:

Almighty God, thank you for what you see when you see me; You see Jesus. Thank you for what I see when I look in the mirror; I the perfect reflection of Jesus. Holy Spirit, may I continually be transformed to be like Christ as I go deep into Your Word, from one degree of glory to another. In Jesus’ Name I pray,  Amen!