Mirror Preaching

Oh dear God, who would have thought that you actually had to practice what you preach?

Hello reader.  Thank you for reading today.  As some of you may know, I have graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Environmental Design, which is one of those majors invented for future jobs.  "Future jobs?" You ask.  Yes, the kind of jobs that Auburn has said, "This is going to be a real "thing" one day," and they have chosen to create a major that can support it when it comes.  Which means what?  Are there any present jobs?  Oh, that is why I'm writing the blog.

My ideal post graduation time looked differently in my head.  I was not sitting in my old home in Oxford Alabama, sleeping in my old room and driving up in my old driveway.  Instead, I was seeing me transitioning to some big boy job in some big boy city and tackling some big boy transition problems.  NOT the "you're back at home" transition problems.  Those are lame.  No one likes those.  That's not the American Dream kind of path you're supposed to take after graduation.

Says who?

I don't know, those people that have us under their thumbs.  You know the people, the ones who make you feel like you should be married by...well now, and the ones who says you should be making more money, or you should be thinner or taller or---yes, those people.  Sometimes those people have faces, sometimes those people are just expectations created by movies and TV shows and relatives that you don't even think about unless they post something on Facebook.  And I have found myself mirror preaching.  I'll explain.

Mirror preaching is pulling out all the counseling and encouraging and sermons I've done in the past in my tenure in Auburn and serving in my church and sharing the content with yourself.  And there was a lot of content.  From talking to college friends to high schoolers to middle schoolers and even to some adults, I've done my share of me being the mouthpiece for some simple biblical trues for God's mighty work to be done and in hopes of pointing people to Him in their trials.  Well...now it's my turn.  And since I've done so much counseling and encouragement and sermons, maybe I'm decent at it so I go to the mirror and ask myself what the heck are we supposed to do.  And this guy in the mirror, he doesn't look like me.  He seems confident and assure of himself.  Confident in his faith and confident in the God that made him.  And he's a good listener.  He listened to me vent about my doubt but exhibit some level of faith in the doubt.  He had this gentle smile where I felt comfortable telling him anything.  And he had this reassuring look that I would seriously be okay.  But it was when he opened his mouth was when I really felt like man, this guy must know something.

"Jesus".  He says.  

"Excuse?  That's it?  I need something more practical than that Mr. Guy In The Mirror."  I asked.

"No you don't.  You just need Jesus.  And you have Him.  So you have everything you need."

"Well I know that, but.."

"Dude, there is no but.  You remember all those times you pointed people to Jesus.  Well now it's your turn.  You turn your head and go to Jesus."

"That's it?"

"Yep.  That's it.  And of course, there's practical things for you to get done today, but first, go to Jesus."

And immediately, this flood of words and moments enter into my mind like a picture slide show, all the times I looked people in the eyes or crowds in the eyes and said your hope is Jesus.  Your only hope is Jesus.  Your circumstances does not define you, if you have Jesus, you are alright.  We're alright.  He will take care of us. And even if He doesn't according to OUR will and interpretation of what He should do for us, I AM WITH HIM SO IT IS ALL ALL ALL GOOD, IT IS ALL RIGHT.  

And I stare at the guy in the mirror and now he looks just like me.  He doesn't look like some Mr. Know-It-All with his wisdom and calmness and superior faith.  That guy is me.  And I'm staring opposition in the face like "Yo, my God is so much bigger than you."  I'm staring my insecurity in the face like, "Yo, my God is so much cooler than you."  I'm staring "them people" in the face like, "Yo, my God's plan for me is so much bigger than your expectations for me".  So I may look like a failure or a whatever, but my God has the last say.  He always has the last say.

Don't miss that.  My God has the last say.

And thank goodness for that huh?  You remember Satan when he tempts you into sin and you fall short and you're just a terrible person?  Remember that?  Well don't you worry.  God has the last say.  He does.  And He said He loves you and He paid the price for that sin that is tempting you.  Satan doesn't have the last say.  God does.  God does.  Every time.  That's why He is the ultimate gain.  He is the last.  You get Him, you get eternal victory, because He always has the last say.  Thank you Jesus for the peace that surpasses all understanding.  I should be freaking out, but I'm not.  Why?  Because my God has the last say.

Good job mirror preacher.  You have blessed me today.  I'll put a little bit more in the offering plate.  ; ) See you next Sunday.