Today’s Scripture Reading (December
17, 2014): 2 Corinthians 2 & 3
Sometimes,
when we look in the mirror, we don’t actually see what is real. What we often
seem to see is just a caricature of ourselves, a cartoon picture drawn by a
street corner artist that only seems to magnify our flaws. I recently attended a
farewell function for a colleague. Part of the entertainment at the function
was an acted parody of the guest of honor, myself, and another pastor friend.
The parody was wonderful – and frightening. I admit that I recognized myself in
the presentation, but I also have to admit that at times I wished I couldn’t
see myself. It was just a caricature. I have the same issue when I watch a
video of myself speaking. I never see myself as I am, just the caricature of
me. And deep down I know that it isn’t truth.
Paul’s
revelation in this statement is a fork of at least three prongs. The first
prong is that the statement concerns all. Some wish to limit this statement,
maybe to all who are chosen by God, but that is not what Paul really tells us.
He says all, or maybe more precisely, all who care to look, will see God. This
is in opposition to the story of Moses where it was only Moses who was allowed
on the Mountain to meet with God. The rest of the Israel had to stand aside and
wait – not even touching the base of the mountain. But for Paul, all of that
had changed. It was no longer the one, or even just the apostles, it was all.
The second
prong considered the presence of the “unveiled faces.” As Moses came off the
mountain, all of Israel was dismayed because his face reflected the God that he
had spent time with. It was too much for Israel, and so Israel made Moses hide
his face. But we stand with unveiled faces. While Moses reflected God in
diminishing fashion, less as time moved him away from the Mountain of God, we
are reflecting God in increasing fashion, becoming more and more like him. In
fact, if there is proof of a person’s “Christianity,” it is that we are
becoming more like Christ as we become more willing to spend time with him; the
more we are willing to look and see him.
But the
third prong demonstrates the limitation that we still live under. Older translations
replace contemplate with the idea of seeing God as if we are seeing him in the
mirror. Ancient mirrors didn’t reveal the truth, they revealed only a
caricature by their nature. And that is how Paul says that we see God. A
caricature of who he really is. One day we will see him face to face, but for
now he is only a reflection, seen imperfectly by those of us who are willing to
look.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2
Corinthians 4
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