Fix Your Eyes On JesusSample

No mirrors in church 

Is it just me or are mirrors made to rob us of happiness? I remember being at a dance party once, having a good time, when I noticed the mirrors to one side of the dance floor. Suddenly, I found myself glancing in their direction, curious as to how goofy I looked as I attempted not to embarrass myself on the dance floor.

Mirrors make us me-centered. When we step into the bathroom, we notice the fit of our clothes, the bags under our eyes, the tuft of hair that cannot be controlled, and a million other things we were ignorant of before stepping in front of our own reflection. 

This is why I am so glad that we don’t have mirrors in our church. Step into the space where we gather to worship, and you’ll find a cross and a baptismal font and a screen for Bible passages, but you won’t find a single mirror. Why? Because, while self-reflection and honest confession are good, fixing our eyes on Jesus is even better. “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1,2). We fix our eyes on Jesus. Through songs and sermons and readings and art, we take a break from our mirror-covered, me-centric world of self and we think about Jesus. His love. His mercy. His grace.

Unlike that day on the dance floor, moments of true worship don’t make us self-conscious and embarrassed. Rather, they make us Christ-conscious and excited about his promises. Thank God for mirror-less spaces. Thank God for Jesus-focused churches!