Funhouse mirrors are funny things. They have a way of exaggerating some features and diminishing others. Standing in front of some mirrors will make a person look grotesque while others can be quite flattering. I tend to prefer looking in the mirrors that make me appear to be a bodybuilder as opposed to the ones in which I resemble Shrek. Neither, however, are accurate, and that's the point. The people in our lives are like funhouse mirrors. We look at them, and we see a reflection of ourselves we don't particularly like, or we see something that is indicative of only our positive traits. If you are anything like me, you tend to avoid hanging out with the former because it can be uncomfortable. I mean, who wants to be around someone who makes them feel badly about themself? These people don't usually intend to be a discouragement (from my experience), but they unwittingly mirror something in an area in which I need work and it irritates me. So, we surroud ourselves with those that only ever make us feel good, and everything works out fine. Except that we never grow. You see, God has placed all these different types of people in our lives for different reasons. We all need encouragement, and those that see the best in us certainly perform an important function. However, we cannot forget that there can be no improvement in our lives if our shortcomings aren't identified, and we are called to purify ourselves from everything that contaminates our body and spirit perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. (2 Corin. 7:1). It is also true that as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17). So here's the deal. We should find someone that forces us to examine our negative traits and spend some time with that person on a regular basis. Once we get over the initial discomfort, we can get to work on fixing our problem areas and will be happier, better people in the long run.
