Looking in the Mirror
Dear Sutton and Savannah,
I was in the 4th grade when I got my first pair of glasses. I remember being very disappointed when I could see everything clearly. The world was no longer soft and fuzzy; I could see all the rough edges and flaws. Greater self-awareness can sometimes lead to that same initial disappointment. An honest look at the shadow side can initially be hard or even disappointing, but the long-term benefit changes everything.
-Dad
Inside Out Lectionary Letters
Year A Proper 13 - (Texts, Art, Hymns)
Readings for Sunday, August 2, 2026
Genesis 32:22-31 / Psalm 17:1-7, 15 / Romans 9:1-5 / Matthew 14:13-21
Summary of Psalm 17:1-7, 15
The psalmist pleads for justice, convinced of the rightness of his cause. He feels misunderstood, threatened, and surrounded by those who seem arrogant, violent, and without compassion. He longs to be vindicated and he pleads that God’s great love will rescue him from his callous, and wicked foes.
Scripture as a Mirror of the Soul
We don’t know what circumstances David is facing; just that he is frightened, and probably overwhelmed with emotion. In moments like that we are naturally tempted to divide the world into heroes and villains. We instinctively identify with the righteous voice within while projecting our own villainess characteristics onto someone else. Our shadow carries the fears, wounds, anger, desires, and protective strategies we would rather not acknowledge. Ignoring those parts in us does not make them disappear. Surrendering to them does not bring freedom. The invitation to self-awareness is neither denial nor indulgence, but reflection and integration.
Paying attention to the inner dynamic leads to redemption rather than retaliation. We are more likely to be invited to the table of reconciliation than to the battlefield of destruction. And we may realize that the villain within, when actually welcomed into conversation, has some incredible wisdom, vision and insight that is worthy of consideration. When we look into the face of the shadow, we may actually see our own likeness.
This does not mean evil should be excused or harmful behavior ignored. Rather, it reminds us that the path toward wholeness begins with honest self-awareness. The parts of ourselves that first appear threatening often carry untold grief, hidden gifts, surprising creativity, or hard-earned wisdom. When welcomed into conversation instead of driven deeper into exile, they can become participants in healing rather than obstacles to it.
The final verse is intriguing. "When I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness." Perhaps awakening is the very work of the inner journey. As long as I divide the world into the righteous and the wicked, I remain asleep to my own projections. But as I courageously face the parts of myself I have labeled enemy—my anger, fear, pride, envy, or desire for revenge—I begin to discover something unexpected. Beneath both the persona I defend and the shadow I reject lies the authentic self, quietly bearing the likeness of the One who created me. Awakening is not discovering that I am the villain. It is discovering that God's image is deeper than both my virtue and my brokenness.