My Reflection
My Reflection
Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. (Phil. 2:4)
Recently at our church’s women’s retreat, the main speaker was a missionary to women in war-torn Uganda. Most of these women had inadequate food, shelter, and clothing, and many were HIV positive. They had been raped during the war, or their husbands had been unfaithful while serving as soldiers and brought the disease back to them. Yet they smiled, danced, and sang at the church services they attended. When asked what made them so joyful, they simply said, “Jesus!”
The speaker asked us to donate small toiletry items for her to take back to Uganda—things like toothpaste, soap, lotion, and especially small mirrors, which the women could use to see themselves. She told us most of these women had never seen their own reflections.
This reality spoke to my heart. How much time do I spend in front of the mirror each day? How much money do I spend on my appearance? And how much energy do I waste worrying about how I look? These women had far greater concerns than their physical appearance: whether they would be able to feed their children that day, how they would get medicine to treat their deadly disease. My self-centeredness not only saddened me, but it also drove me to the cross. These women understood what mattered in life—Jesus and nothing else. They put their hope in Him, not in the things of this world.
When we focus on ourselves and our own comforts, we push out the needs of others. Jesus gave up His life for us, and He calls us to die to ourselves by putting others first. No, taking care of ourselves and our families isn’t evil, but leaving nothing for others in need is. Seek to live a life that reflects who Jesus is.