If God Was One Of Us
“In the backstage room there are three mirrors surrounded by candles,” our speaker said as the sun set on my last day at my first church camp, “Next to the candles are dry erase markers. I want you to look at yourself in every mirror and write what you see. Then, after you have done that, make your way out to center stage.”
I walked to the backstage room and came upon the three mirrors in a row. I grabbed a marker and stood in front of the first one. I saw all the dreams and goals I had in life and thought of all the desire in my heart. In the top right corner, in fancy letters, I wrote ‘desire.’ I moved on to the second mirror, marker in hand. I looked carefully at myself, trying to see something on the inside. Trying to sort of see inside my heart, but all I could see was my face which was covered in freckles, my hair a frizzy and curly mess. I did not hesitate to write the word ‘ugly’ in the center of the mirror. With a hint of sorrow in my soul, I came to the third and final mirror. Here, I recalled my home life. How my mother always scowls when I come out of my room to spend time with everyone. How my siblings wish they didn’t have such an abnormal older sister. I held the marker up and wrote ‘failure’ in the bottom left corner of the final mirror. I put the cap on my marker and turned around, tears streaming down my face in emotional agony.
As I started to walk back to my seat with my head hanging and my hood up, I accidentally ran into a complete stranger. I looked up to see a guy, about my age, who looked like the identical twin of my best friend. I knew it was someone else, but I had never been so relieved to see a somewhat familiar face. Not knowing me at all, he put his arms around me and gave me a huge hug. He looked me in the eyes and made things very clear for me.
“I know we have never met, but I have seen you around camp all week. I’ve heard you singing on the beach, seen you play pool, and heard you practicing your poetry with one of your friends. With just that, I can tell you are anything but a failure.”
I looked up at him with tears streaming down my face.
“My name is Nathan.”
“Nicole,” I replied.
I walked back to my seat, hood still up as the speaker started talking.
“Sometimes when God wants to console us, he comes in many forms. He can come in the form of a leader, a friend, or even a complete stranger.”
I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned to see Nathan sitting right behind me.
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