“And Caleb stills the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.”  (Numbers 13)

 

Sometime ago, We asked our readers how often they read our articles. Most said they do so here and there but are not daily readers. Due to this information we have, at times, written on topics that we have written on before and said some of the same things we have said in previous article. We also write new and different things as well for those that have read what we have written before.

The subject of perspective is a very important subject and could help very many persons. One of the rules of logical, critical, and clear thinking is to view things from other angles, and other points of views, from other perspectives.  It is the close-minded, and lazy thinker that does not follow this practice and their ignorance betrays this truth. We have used instances from Scripture to teach perspective.

Perspective can give you a new understanding of life and all that is involved in life. Perspective can give liberty and freedom from prejudices that bind the mind and heart. Perspective can help us understand why someone would do what they did. Perspective helps law enforcement bring criminals to justice. Perspective can make a bad day a good day. Perspective can help one with confidence and proper understandings.

Here are some lessons from Scripture:
*From our Scripture text above, All the spies saw the same thing but came away with different conclusions.  Who was right? It is written, They went up with Caleb and not Caleb went up with them. And God had already promised to deliver this people into the hands of the children of Israel. Due to perspective, many negative effects came to pass.
*Was Daniel put into the lions den or were the lions in Daniel’s den?
*Was Goliath the giant or was David the giant?
*When Christ stood in the court of man, was He on trial or was man on trial? Who was truly condemned that day? Christ died and rose agian, Christ’s human judges died and are in Hell and will be raised to stand before Him in Judgment.

Here are some ways to apply perspective in life:
*If you ever attend a meet and greet with a celebrity, did you “get to” meet them or did they “get to” meet you?
*Do you look like another person or does that person look like you?
*Did you just miss that right turn or has God just kept you from an accident or put you in the way of an accident so that His purpose and pleasure may come to pass?
*Is that person being mean or is that person doing right?
*Is that person being nice or is that person leading you down a bad path?
*Are you witnessing because you want persons to believe in Christ and to worship Him or are you wanting someone to affirm or confirm your beliefs because you are not fully persuaded in your own beliefs.
*Are you here to serve God’s purposes and pleasures or Is God here to serve yours?
*This illness or affliction or infirmity is a real challenge and has ruined my life. Or this has changed my life for the better, I have learned so much about God, others and myself. It was in faithfulness that God has afflicted me.
*Am I my dog’s master or is he mine?
*Is a life in sin a freedom or a bondage?”
*Is my obedience to God a bondage or freedom and liberty in Christ?
*Do you own your home or does your house own you?

In today’s culture, everyone is all about perception or how others see you. I worked with a guy who was very detailed and very good at his job. However, he came a cross as not caring and not being interested in the job at hand. This caused him difficulties. Most persons believe their perception of a matter is infallible and this demonstrates a lack of perspective.

We had a client that was having a wedding at her home. It was her daughter’s wedding and it was scheduled for the upcoming weekend.  This client and I had a very good relationship. She always remembered me during holidays and she would speak well of me to the boss. In preparing for this wedding I spent much time on the property making certain everything, landscape, was right and good. My client would call me very often looking for confirmation and comfort regarding the progression of the landscape projects.  All was fine.  THEN, after meeting with this client again, I was backing out of the driveway and this driveway was exceedingly long. One would have to look over one’s shoulder to keep on the driveway.

After I returned to the office and listened to my thirty (30) something messages, I received one from my aforementioned client. She said something to the tune of, “I know I have been calling you alot B.K. but to blatantly ignore me when you were leaving is unacceptable.”  This client called my boss and I was summarily replaced as company representative to this client.

I was shocked! I have learned to be schocked by nothing as i have aged and learned more and more about human nature, and come to understand the doctrine of human depravity more and more. I wrote a letter…a personal letter to this client in the name of our kinda friendship.  I told her I did not see her waving me down because my head was turned as I was backing up. I listed several logical reasons why I would never ignore her and that she should have know me better as the past informs the future. Her perception stood against my logic. This is the problem with perception that lacks perspective.

The Spies saw the Cannanites as being bigger than God’s promise. Caleb saw God’s promise as bigger than the Cannanites.

David’s perspective was God is bigger than this giant. Everyone else took the persective, this giant is bigger “than me.”

Daniel took the perspective that God is bigger and more powerful than the lions that were before him.

Christ was judging His enemies in light of Eternity. Christ’s enemies were judging Him in light of temporal life and their little world.

 

Christ-ian, Let us look at things with a Scriptural perspective and from a perspective that proceeds from the conclusion that God is greater than all. Let us have a perspective that exalts God and abases man before God. Let us have a perspective in light of Eternity.

Godspeed.