Lessons from the "Rear-View Mirror"

Last weekend, Derek and I were driving to Mayfield to visit my family. As we pulled out of the driveway, Derek went to adjust the rear-view mirror, when it fell off. Half Laughing and half irritated, I said “Oh well! you don’t need it anyways.” After putting the mirror back on and getting on the road, I began to think of the significance of a rear-view mirror.

One great memory I have is of my father teaching me how to drive! Oh I cant help but laugh about it now, because after I got my permit I would NOT DRIVE! My dad had to make me practice for my drivers test. Apparently, I had a fixation with my rear-view mirror. I think it was my comfort zone or safety net, so to speak. As we were driving around Mayfield, he would say, “Whitney… you need to look ahead of you. Stop looking in the rear-view mirror.” He reminded me the importance of glancing at my mirrors, but not continually looking or fixing your eyes upon them.

How true this is in our daily Christian life. Many times, I am too focused on the “rear-view mirror” that Im running off the road that is in front of me. First, I believe it’s important to define some key words in terms of our spiritual lives.

1. Rear-view Mirror: anything concerning our past situations or our current distractions

As Christians, some of the strongest ammunition the devil uses to deter us from our destination is our past. Whether that is past relationships, situations or mistakes, our past seems to stand in the way of what lies in front of us. We become so fixed on the rear-view mirror because we are still holding on to the past, or what is behind us.

• Colossians 3:5-10: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. ⁸But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

• 1 Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.”

2. Road: the path that you take or what lies ahead of you.

The path we are to take is explained as the “road less traveled.”

• Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The road we are to travel is called the process of sanctification. Sanctification is the same Greek word as holiness, “hagios,” meaning a separation. First, it begins with our personal salvation.

• John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father, except through me.”

Secondly, it’s a practical progressive holiness in a believer’s life while awaiting the return of Christ.

• 1 Peter 1:15 “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.”

Finally, we will be changed into His perfect likeness—holy, sanctified, and completely separated from the presence of evil.

• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

3. Destination: the final arrival point, the end.

Our final destination is Heaven. This is what we are looking forward to and waiting with expectation for.

• Colossians 3:1-4 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

The Rear-view mirror provides opportunity for lessons of growth in our spiritual lives. While driving, we are supposed to keep our eyes on the road, in order to know what direction we should go. So it is with our relationship with Christ: we are to keep our eyes fixed on him as we learn and grow though the process of sanctification. However, when we fix our eyes on the rear-view mirror, we are losing sight of what lies ahead of us. We need to cling to forgiveness and rid ourselves of past circumstances. Finally, we have a destination in which we are going. We should always be waiting in great expectation for our heavenly reward.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
~Hebrews 12:1-3