Exodus 38:8 Mirrors!

8Next he made the bronze basin and its stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

“Let those who view themselves oft in their looking-glasses take his counsel who said, ‘Art thou fair? Be not like an Egyptian temple, varnish without and vermin within. Art thou foul? Let thy soul be like a rich pearl in a rude shell.’” (Trapp)

We’ve been watching several church services live streaming on the internet with the laptop connected to our television. I thought, is it vanity (sin) for people to dye their hair? Or to tattoo their flesh? It occurred to me that many musicians that serve on worship teams and pastors seem to take pride (to look younger) in their appearance. Or is it sinful for me to notice such things? 

The way I view myself is simple, the Lord made me who I am. If I happen to be bald and gray, so what? If I dye the hair I have left, won’t I still be a bald guy with dyed hair? 😇

Lets look at Trapp’s full commentary on verse 8 again and meditate on it!

Ver. 8. Looking glasses.] Or, Brazen-glasses. These devout women that used to assemble by troops at the door of the tabernacle to pray and serve God, - see Luke 2:37, 1 Timothy 5:5, - frankly gave the instruments whereby they dressed their bodies, to make the instrument whereby, through faith, they might sanctify their souls. Let those who view themselves oft in their looking glasses take his counsel who said, "Art thou fair? be not like an Egyptian temple, varnish without and vermin within. Art thou foul? let thy soul be like a rich pearl in a rude shell." Some such advice as this Pythagoras gave his scholars. St James would have men "look" often "into the perfect law of liberty," that crystal glass, "and continue therein." [James 1:25] David did so, and got much good by it. [Psalms 119:59] I considered my ways: Heb., I viewed my ways on both sides. The curious works of the sanctuary were wrought on both sides, therefore called works with two faces. Common works are wrought only on one side, on the other full of ends and shreds. The prophet here strives to walk curiously, precisely, accurately, to turn his feet to God’s testimonies: and hence he is so exact in his self-searching.

I want my soul to be like a rich pearl (a heart like Jesus) in a (my) rude shell!

Leviticus 19:32 'You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. NASB

If the grayheaded dye their hair, how will you know to rise up?

Were you taught to respect the elderly, to rise up in their presence?

Blessings, David