“You need to trust your mirrors.” That the advice I got from an old man when I was learning to back up our travel trailer. “Good mirrors don’t lie,” he said. “They tell you what’s really back there.”
For
22 years Carol and I owned a vintage Airstream travel trailer. It was
given to us by Carol’s parents and we enjoyed using it many years,
either parked on a mountain acreage, or pulled around the country on
trips behind our Chevy Blazer.
The first time we used it, we
were not well prepared. We forgot some essential items inside, and
discovered the furnace didn’t work well. The hardest part, besides
pulling it up a steep mountain road, was backing it into the narrow
space we’d rented for the night. After several attempts, an old fellow
came over and helped me back it in. Seeing me turn my head around, he
said, “You need to trust your mirrors.” It was good advice for seeing, and it saved me from an aching neck as well.
People often tell us not to look back on our lives, to leave the past
and just keep moving forward. But there are times when looking back is
helpful, and even necessary. The mirror of our memory can help us recall
where we’ve come from as well as remind us how we made it this far. The
mirror of a life well-lived, that of a parent or valued friend, can
also help us know what choices to make.
The mirror of God’s
love is most evident in Jesus. When we look at Him, we see God's love in
action. Jesus urges to live so that when others see us, they can also
see God. I believe that’s why He said, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
Not trusting our mirrors can force us to twist our head so far around
that we can't drive properly. It’s always best to trust the mirror God
gives us in His Word. That also means trusting Him when we're going
forward. Good mirrors don't lie, and God doesn't either.
How can you trust your mirrors today?
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