Remember the story of Narcissus? (That’s were we get the word narcissist from). He’s the proud, beautiful man in the Greek myth who saw his reflection in a pool, fell in love it, couldn’t tear himself away, and it killed him.
Mirrors are very dangerous for proud people. Believe me. I speak from experience.
The captivating power mirrors wield over us is not what we see, but what we want to see. What we see is deficiency. What we desperately want to see is sufficiency.
And as we look into these mirrors seductive messages are whispered into our heart: “Fix that and you will be happy,” or “Better yourself and others’ admiration, acceptance, respect, success, or attraction will save you,” or “Improve yourself and you will please, or at least appease, your god.”
These are the promises of every false gospel. That’s because we are designed to be satisfied only when we look at and believe in Jesus, not us.
Narcissus is a pagan parable of a real danger. Beware of mirrors. Look at them as little as possible. Instead, open the window of the Word and “Look to Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1).
Jon Bloom
Desiring God Ministries
Minneapolis, MN
© Jon Bloom
Changi Chapel 
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