Shortly after returning to the US with our adopted sons, we visited a local festival with games and rides. In addition to the clicking and clacking of the rides and the shouts from carnival barkers trying to attract contestants for their sideshow games, the children loved the funhouse. It was a measly fifty cents ticket for the crusty attraction. Clown faces, mirrors, lights—the whole nine yards.

The boys entered through one door and were met with a series of mirrored walls and doors. The grimy handprints on the mirrors gave away the path, but reflections were disorienting. At another turn is a large flat mirror challenging the participant to make faces, roll their tongue, wink, scrunch up their nose, wiggle their ears, and other foolishness. What the poor folks didn’t realize, was the mirror was actually a two-way mirror, and on-lookers were laughing at the faces, winks, and wiggles of the unsuspecting children.

Past the oily fingerprinted mirrors and the white dust from funnel cakes were mirrored panels bent to different angles to distort the reflected images. Some made you short and fat, and others made you tall and thin—my personal favorite. Today, kids (and a good many adults) prefer the photo “filters” of social media apps. My, how we love our “preferred self” over the realistic one. Mirror, Mirror, on the wall…

            I have known too many young men and women who have tried to meet the love of their lives on social media platforms, only to meet the potential mate to see that he or she is “not as advertised.” How many pictures does an average teenager take of him or herself before they settle on the one that makes them look most attractive, popular, or hip? In this selfie generation, we prefer the images of ourselves that portray false images and project an air of confidence, value, or strength. We use filters, angles, make up, and “duck-lips” to fool others; still acting like granddaddy Adam and trying to hide our vulnerabilities and imperfections.

James uses an example of a mirror in James 1:22. The mirrors of James’ day were quite different from the glass-covered metallic service we have in our bathrooms. (For an interesting video, search YouTube on how they make mirrors!) I’ve seen first-century mirrors in museums of Europe—highly polished metal surfaces that will reflect a distorted, yet a clear image of the viewer. However, without the benefit of a glass surface, the polished surface had to be held at the right angle, in the right light, to get an expressive image.

James calls us to gaze into the laws of God long enough to gain a clear image of His wisdom. Hold up the teaching in the light of God’s Spirit so that you will know what is good, right, and true. Tilt the text back and forth to extract every angle of God’s will for humanity. Stare at it long enough to begin to see with Godly eyes. But too often, we settle for a quick glance.

One Pew Study I read found that among Evangelistic Christians, 45% admit they read the Bible one time, or less, per week. That’s a terrible reflection of the group that prides itself on being Bible-Thumpers. If the study is accurate, assuming these Christians attend worship once per week, then these believers are only reading the scripture when they are at worship.

I wonder if we could reframe the image of James’ words to suggest, a hearer of the word is like one who goes to worship on Sunday to behold his state in life, but when he goes his way, he forgets “what manner of man he was.”  Yet, for the one who goes to worship, comes home to study, and does not fail to engage with others in the study of the Word of God, he is a doer of the work, and one who will be blessed in “his deed.” The evidence of your engagement with God’s word will be visible in your actions, words, and relationships. Your life will be an embodiment of Godly ways and will exude Godly wisdom in the way you conduct your family, business, or leisure.

Avoid the fun houses promising false identities of yourself. Those images are bent to deceive you. The wisdom of the carnival world is covered with corndog sticks, cotton candy bags, and greasy fingerprints. But pure religion (faith) is undefiled before God, and consist of a holy ministry to the orphan, widow (as well as others) and to keep oneself from the superfluities of naughtiness.