What Reflection are We Radiating as a Church and as a Christian?

James 1:23-25
23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.

You have never seen your face. You have seen a reflection of your face, maybe a video of your face, or maybe a photo (picture) of your face. Not unless you can take your eyeballs out with the nerves attached have you been able to see your face with your physical eyes. It can’t be done. What this passage though is referring to is looking into the Word of God is like looking into a spiritual mirror. If we want to see what our physical face looks like, we have to look in a physical mirror. Likewise, we can't see our spiritual self, but we can look in the mirror of God's Word and see who we are in Christ. God's Word is spiritual and reveals our spiritual self (John 6:63). We need to become as sure of our spiritual image as we are of our physical image. After all, we can't directly see either one; we look at something else and take what we see by faith.

A man who doesn't do what he has heard in God's Word (Jas 1:22) is like a man who looks in the mirror but doesn't take any action. He goes on his way and forgets what he has seen. Likewise, we have to keep in front of us the image God's Word paints of our spiritual self and act accordingly. Notice God's Word is called "the perfect law of liberty." This is specifically referring to the New Covenant and all the liberty brought to us through the atonement of Christ. It is only through the grace given to us by the finished work of Christ that we can truly see our new selves and be blessed.

Very often the Church hold’s up a mirror reflecting back the society that surrounds it rather than the Word or the life of Jesus Christ that is our true mirror. If the world despises a sinner the Church should love them. If the world cuts off aid to the poor and suffering than the church should provide healing, food, and shelter. If the world oppresses than the Church should take the hand of the oppressed and lift them up. If the world shames and creates an outcast than the church should proclaim God’s reconciling love and show the way of forgiveness. If the world seeks profit and self-fulfillment the Church seeks sacrifice and service. If the world demands retribution than the Church dispenses grace. If the world has factions that bring dissension, than the Church should join in unity. If the world is destroying its enemy, the Church loves them both.

What mirror or reflection are you bringing the world today, does it reflect the Word and Jesus Christ or does it reflect the world?