Mirror Test

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading, titled Mirror Test, was written by Katara Patton. Who's in the mirror? the psychologist conducting the self-recognition test asked children. At 18 months or younger, children don't usually associate themselves with the image in the mirror. But as kids grow, they can understand they're looking at themselves. Self-recognition is an important mark of healthy growth and maturation.

It's also important to the growth of believers in Jesus. James outlines a mirror recognition test. The mirror is the word of truth from God. When we read the scriptures, what do we see?

Do we recognize ourselves when they describe love and humility? Do we see our own actions when we read what God commands us to do? When we look into our hearts and test our actions, scripture can help us recognize if our actions are in line with what God desires for us, or if we need to seek repentance and make a change. James 1 cautions us not to just read scripture and turn away, and so deceive ourselves, forgetting what we've taken in. The Bible provides us with the map to live wisely according to God's plans. As we read it, meditate on it, and digest it, we can ask Him to give us the eyes to see into our heart and the strength to make necessary changes. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from James chapter 1 verses 22 through 27. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.

Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word 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. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard but doing it, they will be blessed in what they do. Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this, to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. Let's pray. Dear God, please help us recognize ourselves in the scriptures and have the humility to acknowledge the areas in which our lives don't reflect Christ. In having those areas revealed, may we commit to allowing Your Spirit to work in us and mold us into the person You've created us to be. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Toni Collier, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.