I hung this sign (pictured) next to the mirror in my bathroom as a reminder not to torture myself with criticisms or comparisons. At the very least, I start and finish my day at that mirror so it’s fairly important to take some authority over my thoughts in that place. I choose love. Not vain, self-centered love. The kind of love that doesn’t argue with what God made. The kind of love that grows from being rooted in God’s perfect love. The kind of love that sees past the fading and temporary — not only for myself but for others.
So…I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways….
Just kidding. That’s not where I’m headed with this post.
I was a part of a conference recently where the focus was on living loved. I didn’t think much about it at first because of the amazing work of love and freedom that God has already done in my life. I know I’m loved! But as I sat and listened to the speaker get really specific in the ways Satan offers us “fruit” in our every day lives, I realized that I take and partake in what he offers me more than I care to admit. I also realized that as our lives move and change and metaphorical seasons come and go, the truth of God’s love for us is a foundational one that has to be inspected on a regular basis. We can’t afford to let this foundation become cracked and compromised.
In Psalm 23 David writes about the table the Lord prepares for us — in front of our enemy. Isaiah beckons us in chapter 55 to Come, listen diligently, eat what is good, delight yourself in rich food. Why do I take and bite into what the enemy offers me over the feast God is offering me? The table prepared for us by our Father, Savior, and Sustainer is a continual banqueting feast where his banner over us is love (Song of Solomon 2:4). This love has always been in motion—before the foundations of the earth; in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ; and will forever remain. It speaks to the whole of his creation, it speaks to the Body of Christ, his bride, and it even speaks to us as individuals. It’s a feast!
Satan knows love can’t be contained. If we keep eating his lies and criticism we will shut up and not love others. We can’t love others as ourselves if we don’t love ourselves. We will criticize others as we criticize ourselves. So, yeah, our enemy is offering us lies as we sit at the table of the Lord as a desperate attempt to shut up love. Why? Because love can’t be contained. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13). When we know we are loved and we stop arguing with what God has created, compassion will overtake our lives.
Again, this is not self-centered love. (Is there even such a thing?) This is love that is in agreement with God’s heart for us. This is love that is in agreement with God’s heart for the people around us. He is love after all.
You know what else is I love about this picture? The chain that it hangs from. I was going to replace it with fabric or twine—something a little more comfortable. But I think the chain is a good reminder of how God takes the very thing that binds us and uses it to display his love. He likes to do that! Such a Redeemer!
So, hope to see you at the banqueting feast. I’ll be the one having my cake and eating it too!
Brave Sparrow 