Toothpaste In The Mirror

by Douglas Baynes

In the front cover of my Bible I have this statement written: “I have great worth apart from my performance, because Christ gave his life for me. Therefore imparted great value to me. I am deeply loved, fully pleasing, totally forgiven and accepted completely in Christ my Lord.” I wrote that in 1993 and have read it often. Many days, I get up, and to start my day, I will walk out on the porch and, with a good stretching yawn, will say, “Well, this is the day the Lord has made—now try not to mess it up, Douglas!” I then head for the coffeepot.

The day starts well, alright, but then as it goes, stuff happens, and by the end of the day, you’re looking in the mirror as you brush your teeth for bed, and the day’s “stuff” all comes back to you: it does for me. We all run the movie back again in our minds. I could have had more patience with the girl at the store. Why was I lazy and did not just push the cart back to the storefront, instead of leaving it there in front of my truck? Well, everyone else does. Mhmm, did that small thing make it okay? Did I have any opportunity to share Christ with anyone? Was there a chance that those whom I was in contact with today could have seen Christ in me, or was it all Doug? I have to do better tomorrow, but that’s when the small voice comes: “You see, you’re no better than anyone else in the Walmart parking lot.”

That’s when I have to recite the above once again to myself. I take great comfort in the fact that the apostle Paul had the same days: well, without the shopping cart. Romans 7:15: “For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” Most of the readers will know the rest of the chapter, and the day’s events that Paul had is with us all in his thoughts. The turning point is that after Paul ran his movie of his day’s events, he concludes in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

We all have had better days, but the days that we stumble and fall, or we pick apart in the mirror, those are the ones we have to remember everyone else has too. The difference is to not let the devil talk you out of your selfworth. You are fully pleasing, totally forgiven, and accepted as you are in Christ Jesus. Paul wrote most of the New Testament, and if he had down days, well, we are in good company. Now to put toothpaste on my shopping list.

About The Author C. Douglas Baynes lives in Cleveland, Tennessee, with his wife of 39 years, Annie. They attend Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy.