Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
Things are not the way they seem to be when you look through the passenger's side mirror of motor vehicles. Which is why they engrave the phrase "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear" as a safety warning on these passenger side mirrors of motor vehicles in the USA, Canada and Australia. It is present because while these mirrors' convexity gives them a useful field of view, it also makes objects appear smaller. Since smaller-appearing objects seem farther away than they actually are, a driver might make a maneuver such as a lane change assuming an adjacent vehicle is a safe distance behind, when in fact it is quite a bit closer. The warning is required to remind the driver of this potential problem. Despite its origin as a utilitarian safety warning, the phrase has become a well-known catch phrase that has been used for many other purposes.
One such purpose was to illustrate the imminence of Christ return. The illustrator inserted a painting of Christ return in a passenger mirror with the engraved inscription "Objects in mirror are closer than they appear." The message is obvious. Some say the event will occur in a far distant future, but it only seems that way; it is a lot closer than we think.
Pride is a mirror in which everyone else seems lesser than they truly are. Pride distorts our vision of ourselves and others in a similar way. We appear larger, better or more than; while others appear smaller, worse or less than. When this happens we can unfortunately reason that we deserve more and better. If others get what we believe we deserve or should be rightfully ours, then we reason that they took what is ours and we should get it from them, by any means necessary; even if it means removing them. What is described above is when pride leads to jealousy. (Pride can also lead to jealousy's evil twin: envy).
Jealousy denotes a feeling of resentment that another has gained something that one more rightfully deserves. This is how Lucifer felt about Jesus. You see, Satan (known then as Lucifer) was once an honored angel in heaven, next to Christ (known then as Michael). They were both covering Cherubs. Satan's countenance, like those of the other angels, was mild and expressive of happiness. His forehead was high and broad, showing great intelligence. His form was perfect; his bearing noble and majestic. A special light beamed in his countenance and shone around him brighter and more beautiful than around the other angels; yet Christ, God's dear Son, had the pre-eminence over all the angelic host. He was one with the Father before the angels were created. However, the universe was then unaware of this fact. So, when God said to His Son, "Let us make man in our image," Satan was jealous of Jesus. And, Satan wished to be consulted concerning the formation of man, and because he was not, he was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. He desired to receive the highest honors in heaven next to God (Truth about Angels, p 27; Early Writings. P. 145). Even though the Father set the record straight about Michael being God, Satan and His followers refused to submit to Christ's authority (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 36 - 37).
Pride and jealousy had skewed the Devil's sense of reality. He saw his beauty above all other beings save God (Ezekiel 28: 12- 17; Isaiah 14: 12 – 14). He thought he should be the one next to God, not Michael. So, Satan set out to destroy Michael, whom Satan now saw as inferior to himself.
We too can be victims of pride that skews our view of reality. With our skewed view of reality we can reach the wrong conclusions and make wrong choices. God wants not only to cure us of pride and jealousy; He wants to prevent from it happening again. Humility is the answer. When the Spirit convicts us will we humble ourselves?
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Raul Diaz
www.wolfsoath.com
