Kingdom Calling Blog…

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?

I’m sure we’ve all heard this phrase from the children’s movie Snow White and in this movie the mirror is ‘boss’. The mirror decides who is the fairest and this is such a reflection on society today and how our success or popularity in life is based on our appearances. From a young age children are taught that the mirror is boss and so often grow up not liking what they see, thinking what they see is not good enough or even, worst case scenario, not wanting to look in the mirror at all!

Does any of this sound familiar to you?

We seem to be suffering from something of an identity crisis and I don’t think it’s just restricted to young people even though this crisis seems to be starting at a younger and younger age. It seems to be endemic in society today! But, why?

We all want to fit in with our peers and this seems to start from the youngest of ages and we yearn to be part of the popular crowd, invited to the best parties, getting the most likes on social media and on and on it goes. I have memories of school days and P.E. lessons where the captains had to pick their side and being very small for my age back then, I was always one of the left overs that you had to have in your team! Anyone else remember this humiliation?

So, we can often end up doing whatever it takes to be ‘in’ and sometimes that means trying to be like someone else, someone you think is a better this or a better that. It can even mean making wrong choices as the people you see as hip and cool may be part of a crowd that make choices that you don’t necessarily want to choose but you feel you should so you can hang round with them and before you know it you have let your own moral compass be dictated by someone else and sometimes this happens so subtly you don’t even notice!

Have you experienced this?

Somewhere along the line we have started to believe lies that we are not enough, don’t really fit in, don’t wear the right clothes, don’t have the right ‘stuff’ or just fill in your own blanks. This doesn’t end at the school or college gates either as we take this thinking into our jobs, marriages, friendships etc.

But, this way of thinking was not what God had intended for us when He created us!

Gen 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

When he stood back and admired his handiwork God was well pleased. God created you to be unique and individual; there is no-one else like you. That’s because God didn’t want clones but individuals, one of a kind humans.

How many of us know the scripture that we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made?” I love this version from the New Living translation

Ps 139:14 “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvellous-how well I know it!’

But do we know it?

God created you with your own unique gift mix and abilities. You have your own sphere of influence. You are a storehouse and have resources available to you from heaven, that no-one else has. You are made in the image of Christ; you are sons and daughters of the living God. You are co-heirs with Christ, you are His beloved. You are priceless beyond measure and He sent His only son for YOU because YOU are worth it!

If you are born again, Christ dwells within you. Once you are baptised in the Holy Spirit you have all the power you need to live like Jesus and a direct line to the Father. We have authority not because of who we are but because of whose we are and because of this we get to live like the first disciples after the Holy Spirit came upon them.

We are created to tell people about Jesus and live it out so that when people look at us they can see something in us that is attractive-JESUS! You are called to bring Jesus to the world around you which means we get to pray for people and see them healed and set free from oppression.

Matt 10:1. “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness “.

Matt 10:5-8. MSG “Don’t begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don’t try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.

We get to spread the good news wherever we go!

You see the enemy would love to keep us from being who we are called to be and living in the understanding of our true identity because we are powerful and once we grasp the reality of living out our true identity then nothing can stop us from fulfilling God’s plans for us on this earth.

When we are struggling to come to terms with who we were created to be and comparing ourselves with others or moaning about how we look or wondering why God doesn’t speak to us the way he speaks to our friend we are calling in to question Gods amazing workmanship.

He never makes mistakes; it’s not in his nature to mess things up! When he created you and me it’s because the world needs a you and me and we are not an afterthought or created by mere chance.

In fact, it states in scripture that God knew everything about us before we were even born and has good plans and purposes for our lives.

Psa 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

When we question or doubt God about who we truly are it is like arguing with God.

Isa 45:9 “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker, those who are nothing but potsherds among the potsherds on the ground. Does the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘The potter has no hands’?

So, the next time you look in the mirror and moan about yourself or don’t accept praise and encouragement because you don’t feel worthy remember this;

There’s only one you and only one me. You are free to be you and I am free to be me. The world needs US!

What’s your Key? Series

Part 1 You’re Invited 

Part 2 My Sheep Hear My Voice

Part 3 Is That You God?

Part 4 Stepping Out

Part 5 Choose to live…Courageously

Part 6 Who’s your Courage Buddy?

Part 7  The Small Stuff Matters

Part 8 Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Part 9 You Are so Much More Than Your Likes