THE BIBLE CHANGES OUR PERSPECTIVE

A certain missionary society, in order to gain access for a missionary to work in some of the African tribes, sent down trinkets to be bartered with the natives. Among them was a package of little hand mirrors, such as ladies use.

The natives had never seen their own faces except in the waters of some lake or stream. So the news of this wonderful instrument by which people could see their features was spread abroad. The missionary was invited by the tribe after tribe to visit them with his hand glass.

In the interior was a princess in one of the tribes who had been told that she was the most beautiful woman on earth. When she heard of this instrument in which she might see what a beautiful creature she was, she bade the missionary bring one of the mirrors. (The truth was, the princess was the least attractive woman in the tribe.)

She took the mirror into the hut to take a good, long look at her beauty. When she held up the glass and saw what she really looked like she lifted her royal fist, dashed the glass to pieces, banished the missionary, and made a law that no looking glass should ever be brought into the tribe again.

Why did the princess hate the glass? Because it told her the truth about herself—that she was an ugly woman—and she did not like it.

For some reason people turn away from the Bible. It tells man that all of his righteousnesses are as filthy rags in God’s sight.