Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Here is a slightly embarrassing, vulnerable, and true story about me. For months, I had been feeling a little insecure because of some weight gain. Going to the closet, I would repeatedly try on clothes and feel frustrated with how they looked. My Goodwill pile was growing fast, and my self-worth was diminishing. This cycle took place for a couple of weeks, until my college kid came home with an over-the-door hanging-type mirror. I put that on the door and immediately thought that it looked like a funhouse mirror. I was suddenly shaped like a round potato and very, very short. I stated out loud that this was a horrible mirror and invited various family members to have a go and see how they might look. We all agreed—terrible mirror.

So, then I got curious. I went to my teen’s full-length mirror, and wow, I was in love. I was more slender, more toned, and taller, just like I was photoshopped. You can see where I’m going with this. I invited all the family to view this mirror and then go to my mirror that I was using and asked everyone, “Which mirror is correct? How do I actually look?” We needed an unchanging reference point to know which was true. We all were biased, had subjective preferences, and really could choose whichever mirror we wanted. Obviously, we chose the more favorable mirror.

Knowing the absurdity of this experiment, I then saw the bigger picture. I could not trust any of these worldly mirrors! Satan had convinced me for months of my worth based on my outer appearance, and it cost me. It cost me money in clothes (I donated so many), but more shocking was that I let it cost me my worth. I had some work to do as a Christian. I had unknowingly placed my identity in the world’s definitions, and from that, I was tossed to and fro. Wow. Time to place it back in Christ and what He says.

We need an fixed standard of truth to know which is true. We all can be biased, have subjective preferences, and really can choose whichever mirror we want. But here’s the problem—if everyone picks the mirror that makes them feel good, who decides which reflection is actually true?

This is the very issue we run into with identity. The world gives us distorted mirrors from our culture, social media, and even our own emotions. That can shift depending on what feels good in the moment. One day we may feel worthy; the next we don’t. If we are left to ourselves, we are tossed between mirrors with no lasting foundation.

This is why we need an objective standard of truth, something outside of ourselves, something fixed and unchanging. In Christian apologetics, this is where God comes in. If there is no God, then truth and identity are merely subjective, like choosing whichever mirror we prefer. But if God exists (and He does) and He has spoken (which He has), then we have a firm, reliable foundation for who we are.

C.S. Lewis once said that without God, we cannot have a moral law, only personal preferences. The same is true of identity: without God, we cannot have an objective measure of worth, only shifting opinions. The apostle Paul warns in Ephesians 4:14 that without God’s truth we are “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine.” That was me with my mirrors constantly shifting, never sure what reflection to believe.

But in Christ, we have what philosophers call a fixed reference point—an immovable, objective truth outside ourselves. God defines identity, not culture, not feelings, not funhouse mirrors. He tells us we are created in His image (Genesis 1:27), loved (Romans 8:38–39), redeemed (Ephesians 1:7), and called for a purpose (Ephesians 2:10). That definition never wavers, no matter what my reflection or emotions tell me.

Here is more of what our blessed Creator has to say about identity:

1. You are created in the image of God.

 Genesis 1:27 states, “So God created mankind in his own image…” Every person has inherent worth and dignity, regardless of performance, appearance, or failures. This can help guard us against the lies of the enemy and protect us against low self-esteem, shame, and the pressure to “earn” value through achievement or outer appearances.

2. Broken but Redeemable

Romans 3:23 states, “All have sinned and fall short”; yet Colossians 1:13–14 says, “We are rescued and redeemed in Christ.” These verses acknowledge the reality of mental and emotional brokenness without denying hope. These verses can also help us from falling into despair by affirming that healing and restoration are possible through God’s grace.

3. Identity in Christ, Not in Circumstances.

It is affirmed in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.” The bottom line is our worth is not tied to mental health struggles, trauma, failures, or worldly success.

We are defined by God’s declaration of who we are: beloved, forgiven, chosen, and adopted (Eph. 1:3–14). By being chosen, we can find stability when our emotions fluctuate. Scripture emphasizes reshaping thoughts in line with truth in Romans 12:2, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The Holy Spirit is a helper to empower believers to resist destructive thought patterns like fear, shame, or lies.

A biblical identity includes calling and meaning beyond self.

Christianity provides an anchor when anxiety, depression, or life’s storms feel overwhelming. In Romans 8:38–39 it provides us assurance that “nothing can separate us from God’s love.”

Christianity reminds us that our identity is not fragile, shifting with emotions or circumstances, but firmly rooted in God’s eternal love. While positive feelings may come and go, God’s truth remains unshaken. In Christ, we are given a foundation that does not crumble under the weight of anxiety, depression, or suffering. Our worth is secure, our future is hopeful, and our identity is defined once and for all by the One who created us and calls us His own.

References

Lewis, C. S. (2001). Mere Christianity. HarperOne. (Original work published 1952)

New International Bible (2011). Zondervan. (Original work published 1978).