On Perspective

Being a history major, i'm exposed to different perspectives on different issues and situations.. like for example, seeing World War II from the perspective of the Allies, or from the perspectives of the Axis powers, or from the perspective of the victims of war, etc... Many people view an event from different angles... like how you can describe a football match from what you see as a spectator, or from being the radio commentator or from being the football player.. and even among players, they have a variety of perspectives... the striker's view is different from the midfielder's view and so on.. just as the game would look very different from the perspective of the one who scores the goal to one who doesn't.. but guess what it's all the same game!

And many times, things get really complicated. Have you ever been in a situation where everyone has their own way of seeing things, their own way of doing things and everyone wants to go in different directions cos they have diferent interpretations? And how many times, many people claim that they have the "right perspective" and go around condemning/convincing others to try to adapt to it. And after a while, things get downright complicated and irritating...

So the question arises: Who's view is the right view. Only one answer: God's view. Cos He sees everything, knows everything and knows all that has happened, is happening and all that is going to happen. And many times, the simple way to solve life's seemingly complicated problems is actually to just adapt to His perspective, gain His insight and move with it. God has given us the Bible- His Word and His counsel. God has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us. But many times we don't turn to these for guidance... we turn to our friends, we turn to self-help manuals, we turn to our own wisdom or lack thereof to solve problems that we're facing.. even when we do hear out what God has to say, many times we'd rather not follow cos many times we think our own way is better... and as a result, we get into even greater trouble...

God's way of seeing is the best.. but many times, even those who claim to see what God sees argue among themselves.. that's why it's important to receive the full counsel of God cos we know in part and prophesy in part and everyone just has a small piece of the entire puzzle.. but some people become so obsessed with their small piece that they think it's the only piece and they have the whole thing. That's why there's safety in the multitude of godly counsel...

God has been showing me how many times, i've been so quick to judge, quick to condemn and quick to decide by my own limited perspectives.. and many times, it has landed me in trouble and caused me to hurt other people.. but i wanna live differently.. His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. His ways are higher than my ways.. but i wanna abide in Christ cos in Him, i have access to and i can live in the higher ways and the higher thoughts.

Having said all this, what i really wana drive home is this: if we're facing so many problems and issues and we're being bombarded with a confluence of noises in our lives, let's take some time to pray and seek God for His perspective. Cos that's the only one that's important. God's history books will last for eternity. He's in control no matter how much evil we see around us. His plan in history is still unfolding and we must learn not to judge or see by temporary circumstances cos what we see is not finished. He makes all things beautiful in His time. In the end, it will be perfect, even as He uses our light and momentary afflictions to launch us into eternal glory. He even redeems our mistakes, our past hurts and scars and He can even use them and turn them into something beautiful. God is not limited by our ordinary thinking. And in the light of past present and future, we need to know that God is faithful cos our momentary troubles and confusion will not compare to the place of glory where God will eventually bring us. We need His eternal perspective to move through dificult situations. Jesus does not judge by what he sees with His eyes or decide by what He hears with His ear but He does so with righteousness and justice (Isa 11)... And His perspective must always be our point of reference, just as how we take a compass to guide us or a landmark to determine where we are. We need Him to show us where we are in life... and there can be many landmarks or perspectives to measure ourselves by, many people, events, measures and opinions by which we can judge or measure ourslves. We can see success from the world's eyes or from God's.. but what will count for eternity? We can measure ourselves by other people's standards but there are many and we will only get confused having to choose the "right one". But we have to judge, decide and live by what really matters.. that's God's Word, His truth, His eternal wisdom and full counsel. It should be the life that sustains us and the sword by which we divide the sacred and the profane, the spiritual and the carnal, what is good and what is best, and what is best from what is God's... If we live by His truth and perspective, we'll be able to see the deceptions in our own hearts as well as other's and we'll be able to guide them through... It' the light that shows us the way.. and as we walk closer to the Light, we'd realise how much darkness we've been in.. and as we keep our eyes on that Light, we are changed from glory to glory...

So the question is whose perspective do we have and live by? Have we depended on ourselves and the futility of our own thinking? Or have we allowed the deceiver to blind us and keep our eyes from the Light of truth? If we know what is truly valuable in this life, we'll learn how to live by it and pursue it... no matter how much it may cost us...

God bless! :)