Mirror Check: Loathe Entirely!

By: Gabriela Yareliz

Loathing, unadulterated loathing… this phrase always reminds me of my musical theater class in high school, singing Wicked.

Exodus 20:13 (our mirror check) states pretty simply: “You shall not murder.” (ESV)

I could tell you not to stab anyone on the train, and call it a day. But this commandment, when stacked against Scripture goes a bit deeper.

1 John 3:15-17 tells us: “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?”

We live in an era of hate. People seem to thrive off of it, just go onto any social media (especially X). In these polarizing times, people have ruptured relationships. Worse, we have given up on each other.

The news cycle, social media, politics– it all thrives on division and on the othering of another. God calls us to something different; to embody what He is, love.

Mirror Check Questions: Is there anyone I hate? Who can I pray for that I need to show love toward? What story am I telling myself about certain people/a certain person? Can I pray to embody love more?