My sister told us the story of the Black Skeleton. It was a true story, but here is my fictionalized version.
A woman named Davia attended a birthday party, and she lost herself in music and dancing until she noticed a black skeleton standing in the next room. The skeleton sent a chill through Davia. Why wear such a creepy getup to a birthday party? She tried to ignore it and returned her focus to the festivities and her friends. Soon Davia gazed across the room and found the darned thing watching her. Not just watching her, the black skeleton mocked her, imitating her every movement. A trickle of sweat rolled down Davia’s spine, but she worked up the courage to confront the mocker and put an end to the infuriating torment. She approached the black skeleton until she bumped into a large mirror.
There was no other room. The black skeleton was Davia’s reflection. You see Davia was a drug addict who long resisted the urging of loved ones to seek treatment. She had avoided looking into mirrors, so she didn’t realize the ravages of her addiction had turned her once golden brown face into a shriveled black skull. The shock and embarrassment of seeing her darkened, emaciated state propelled Davia to seek the help she needed.
Are you in the grip of any addictions or bad habits? How are they affecting your life? Do your loved ones see something you don’t see? According to the book of James the Bible is our mirror.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25 NIV)
Will you look intently into the word of God and heed its warnings and instructions?
Photo by Alexander Grigoryev on Unsplash
This situation with Davia is both heartbreaking but also uplifting and we have to look at who and what we are and how to live out our most fulfilling life. Can we do it on our own or do we need to hear God’s word to guide us. It is vital that we see ourselves in the mirror, not forget what we see but explore listen to what the Lord is telling us.
Joycelyn,
Thank you for your comment. Yes, we need to listen to what the Lord is telling us and consider what godly people are saying based on their understanding of scripture.
So thankful for his mercy and grace to look into the mirror until we align with what God’s expectations are.. Be intentional at hearing and doing.