Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ Is Similar to a Bible Passage
Michael Jackson‘s “Man in the Mirror” is the rare pop song with a great message — a message Jesus Christ might have liked. In fact, the song seems like a paraphrase of one of the most famous passages from the gospels. Here’s a look at the spiritual dimensions of one of Jackson’s best ballads.
Michael Jackson’s ‘Man in the Mirror’ is like the Sermon on the Mount
Some of Jesus Christ’s most famous teachings are in his Sermon on the Mount. Some of these statements are certainly challenging! “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” Jesus says in Matthew 7. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” he continued. “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” In other words, people should focus on self-improvement rather than critiquing others.
Michael Jackson didn’t write the song
The most famous line of “Man in the Mirror” is “If you wanna make the world a better place / Take a look at yourself and then make a change.” Michael essentially took a biblical message and put it into modern, plain language. This was part of a wonder trend of songs by the King of Pop, such as “We Are the World,” “Heal the World,” and “Earth Song,” that encouraged positive behaviors.
It’s not clear if the Bible inspired “Man in the Mirror.” In his 2011 book You Are Not Alone: Michael, Through a Brother’s Eyes, Jermaine Jackson emphasizes that his brother was a devout Jehovah’s Witness for much of his life. However, he had no role in writing “Man in the Mirror,” which was penned by Siedah Garrett (Jackson’s duet partner on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”) and Glen Ballard, who would later produce classic hits for Alanis Morissette and Katy Perry. On the other hand, Jackson co-produced the song alongside his frequent collaborator, Quincy Jones.
Why ‘Man in the Mirror’ works
Everyone agrees that Jackson knew how to write dance tunes. His ballads were a different story. Too often, his slower songs, like “We Are the World,” “You Are Not Alone,” and “Ben,” are pure, undiluted cheese. “Man in the Mirror” is more musically interesting than most of these, but it doesn’t have the exotic beauty of the King of Pop’s best ballad, “Human Nature.”
While its instrumental leaves something to be desired, the best part of the song is its simple message. During difficult times, the line “If you wanna make the world a better place / Take a look at yourself and then make a change” is a perfect slogan. If you’re a fan of Jackson, it might just pop into your when you need it.
Whether inspired by Christ or not, “Man in the Mirror” encourages us all to live our best lives.
