“Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.”

-Exodus 38:8

This is just one of many instances where the people of Israel gave of their belongings to provide for Tabernacle construction. But it stood out to me because of what these women gave. Bronze was needed and so they gave bronze. But in doing so, they gave up their ability to look at themselves.

They lived in tents in the wilderness; I doubt they  had several mirrors hanging. Bronze was precious metal, I don’t know that they had it in abundance. I suppose there were occasional pools in the wilderness, but water is a poor substitute for a mirror.

And yet these women traded self-gazing for cleansing. They gave up the ability to see what they looked like so that the spiritual leaders of Israel could approach God sprinkled clean. They exchanged seeing the dirt for dealing with it.

And still I think it’s a necessary exchange. Look at myself or look to Him. For gazing longer does not help what I see. But I can give the image-caster to Him and say,

“Fix this, Lord. I have no way to. You make me clean.”

And it is a beautiful trade.