Reflections - Lillian Cucuzza, Photographer

Reflections

photo and writing by Lillian Cucuzza

The female Eastern Bluebird incessantly attacked its own reflection in the neighbor’s car window and mirror. My neighbor thought the bird was obsessed with itself. The truth is this female was aggressively protecting her territory from what she thought was another female bluebird.

Processing the photos of this bluebird gave me time to reflect on the metaphor it represented to me. This bird thought it was attacking the reflection, but she was really attacking herself. The depth of that thought was so profound it took my breath away.

Some of us get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and allow negative thoughts and self-talk to start creeping into our minds. We begin our day attacking ourselves. Maybe we don’t like the way we look, whether it’s our face, skin, hair, hair color, weight, or the shape we are in or not in mentally, spiritually and/or physically. Or perhaps we are thinking about what the day will bring. We begin to berate ourselves with doubts and fears, feeling inferior because of our diminished self-esteem and self-image that results from these attacks. There may be guilty feelings from something in the past that we have never forgiven ourselves for, or for broken relationships that we are trying to repair. Maybe we even question our eternal security. I’ve been guilty of entertaining many of these harmful thoughts in my life.

Whatever it is, we sabotage ourselves with these constant destructive attacks that come directly from the enemy. Please understand that those thoughts are lies and do not come from God, but from the very pit of hell itself. The writer in 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (NIV) The enemy, Satan, is the father of all lies and is seeking to destroy us, to prevent us from either coming to know our Savior, Jesus Christ, or to stop us from being effective witnesses for Christ! I know this firsthand because the enemy tried to destroy me with his lies many years ago as a new Christian.

How do we defend against these lies and attacks? The first thing we should do to protect ourselves is pray and put on the armor of God. That armor is the Bible, God’s Word. It is a love letter directly from God that allows us to understand who we are in Christ, to see and understand just how much God values and loves us. You have probably heard of selftalk or affirmations. The best affirmations in the world are the ones that come directly from God in His Holy Bible:

You and I are loved by God. God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NIV) How can we continue to attack ourselves, feel so unworthy and hold on to such guilt and unforgiveness knowing that God loves us that much?

You are a child of God. “Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12, NIV)

You are a friend of God. Did you know that Jesus calls you friend? “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15, NIV)

You have been chosen and appointed by God. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” (John 15:16, NIV)

You are God’s special possession. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV) You are accepted and loved and treated as valuable by a Holy God.

You are called according to His purpose. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, NIV) Bad things happen to good people. Let God use the bad things and turn them into positive things for His glory.

Before the foundation of the world, God had a plan for you. “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.” (Ephesians 1:4, NIV)

God has great things in store for you! “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

God knew you and chose you before the worlds were formed. He didn’t create you to be average and ordinary, or to barely get by. He created you to excel and He has equipped you with everything you need to live exceedingly and abundantly. He has planted seeds of greatness within you, but you must believe and meditate on these truths, and you will see yourself as chosen, valuable and victorious.

A very dear friend of mine pointed out the shape of a heart in this bluebird photo, where the two beaks meet in the reflection. In the midst of that bluebird attack was a wonderful message directly from God’s heart, who said in Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (NIV)

Don’t believe the lies of what the enemy says you aren’t. Instead, get wrapped up in who God says you are!