A Mirror in the Message

 "Let all that you do be done in love." – 1 Corinthians 16:14 (ESV)

Reflection:
There are moments when God chooses the ordinary to reveal the extraordinary, when a simple interaction becomes a mirror for our soul.

Recently, I was in a meeting with a manager to address an unresolved issue related to my salary. The matter had been escalated to the head office, and the response came through a voice note. While the content of the message was clear, it was the tone that struck me the most. It was sharp, defensive, even hostile. But what pierced my heart was not just the sound of the words, but the fact that I could hear myself in them.

It was as if God used that moment to hold up a mirror to my heart. I felt exposed, ashamed. My heart sank as I listened. I realized that the same hostility I heard had often lived in me, especially in moments of disagreement. The pain I felt wasn’t only because of the message itself, but because I saw the impact of what I had unknowingly projected onto others over time.

The voice note was short, but the conviction it brought lingered. I wept within, recognizing the hardness that had taken root in me. I also saw how my past behaviour may have pressured the manager to justify themselves, to play that voice note as proof, perhaps because I had not cultivated an atmosphere of trust.

This experience left me humbled. I saw, perhaps for the first time, how deeply our words and attitudes matter. Hostility, whether subtle or overt, wounds. It goes against the very nature of God, whose will is rooted in love, peace, and human flourishing.

If I claim to love as Christ loves me, then even in disagreement, I must speak with kindness. I must reflect His love, not just in what I say, but in how I say it. This moment reminded me that love is not optional for the believer; it is the command that governs every interaction.

Prayer:
Father, thank You for loving me enough to reveal the hidden parts of my heart. Forgive me for the times I’ve spoken in ways that hurt others, for the moments when my tone did not reflect Your grace. Help me to speak with love, even when I disagree. Teach me to be slow to anger, quick to listen, and tender in heart. May my words build, not break. Heal the wounds I’ve caused and make me an instrument of Your peace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.