Have you read the inscription on the bottom of the passenger side mirror that reads, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear”? As a kid, I definitely pondered this, probably more excessively than necessary, and guess I never really understood it fully. This warning is to inform drivers that the things in sight through the mirror are actually closer than they look. But if it is a safety label to help drivers make informed and calculated decisions while driving, maybe they should have made it the opposite way.
The reason for the optical illusion, which I can appreciate although wonder if it is really the best, is due to the curvature of the glass. It is convex, meaning the center is curved outward. This is to cover a larger picture. In doing this, drivers can see a broader perspective, however, must take into account the distant variance in order to safely navigate the road situation.
This is where we will spend the next few weeks so sit back, relax, and let’s dive into the examination of the reflections before us.
Before we unpack the nature of the depth discrepancies, let’s take a look at the technology and its history. The looking glass, aka – mirror, has been around for millennium, but it wasn’t always very good. Ancient mirrors were not even made of glass but metal and even some report using stone. Due to the materials available in the primitive stages, mirrors were relatively small and handheld. They were very heavy, and the picture was definitely not very clear. Few had access to them in the earliest days.
In scripture, there is a passage that gives some insight into the development of this particular technology that can get lost on us due to our experience with it.
1 Corinthians 13:12 says, “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”
The writer here is talking about the things of God and specifically, that of LOVE! At the beginning of this chapter is the famous ‘love’ passage that is often quoted at weddings or painted on wall art with hearts or put on display for Valentine’s Day. “Love is patient, love is kind…Love never fails.”
Basically, we read how the big idea of LOVE, which John tells us IS God in 1 John 4:16, is a lot like looking in one of these ancient mirrors – not very clear. With modern technology, we can see everything with exceptional clarity (sometimes better than we’d like – blemishes and all), so this imagery (pun intended) goes right over us.
The best I can relate is when the mirror is really foggy due to getting out of the shower and we have to strain to see a partial reflection, or when we’re looking at a window that is not actually a mirror but reflects a little and we squint, focus, and look at just the right angle to catch a glimpse. Either way, the reflection isn’t clear and most certainly we are not able to get the FULL picture.
This is how it is in this world and in our human perception. We get glimpses, bits and pieces, of God. Although God is not trying to be allusive or remain hidden, our human mind cannot take it all that God is or see everything as God has it in mind. We struggle to understand how certain struggles or problems or pain can be part of God’s plan or how they can fit into following God.
So, as we begin our journey through this series, I implore of you a couple things:
1. Come to terms with the truth that in this life we will NEVER grasp the full spectrum of God. Settle in your mind that God is infinite, and we humans are finite. Be at peace with the reality that there is more to this life than meets the eye, emotions, or ecstasies. Understand that it is ok that we may not understand everything. But, this doesn’t take away from the goodness of God or the truth that God cares for you deeply and is working on your behalf.
2. The other thing I want to pose to you is the reality of the passenger side mirror. Things may look one way to us and for our whole lives. We may have had an idea about how the world works or what God is like or even our place in the world, but the truth is they may be totally different. Be open to something new; be mindful of what new perspective God has for you or that your mindset may not be right, or theirs may not be wrong. Let’s see what we can see.
Therefore, whether life is completely clear in some ways, or it doesn’t make sense in others just yet, let me invite you to consider that we may see things now partially and imperfectly but in Christ and eventually, we will see things more clearly! So, hang on, trust in and wait on the LORD, and know that in Him and in time, the fog will clear and the big picture will be revealed.
#GetThePicture
#ObjectsInMirror
#RestoringWholenessOfLife
Brett
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