Changing Perspective
By Julia Fowler, Worship Arts Pastor
A man read an ad in the newspaper, "Hunting dog for sale, $2,500.00, but well worth it." He called the number and the man on the other end told him that he had to see the dog in action. The next morning they met and went hunting early. The dog flushed two birds from a clump of bushes and when they fell into the water, he walked on top of the water, grabbed the birds, and walked back on top of the water. The man was amazed, and bought the dog on the spot. The next day he persuaded his brother to go hunting with him. They flushed a couple of birds and the dog again walked on top of the water, retrieved the birds, and walked back to their boat on top of the water.
He asked his brother what he thought of the dog and the brother replied, "So, you bought a dog who can't swim." (source unknown)
Some people see the glass half-full and others half-empty, or at least that's what we are taught to believe. I hear it all the time, individuals using the "that's just the way I am" excuse to get by with negative attitudes and less than flattering talk. And if your words don't say it loud and clear than attitudes and actions many times speak volumes over what our voices could ever utter. Can I correct this in you? No. Can you correct this in me? Not a chance. Can we however, with the Holy Spirit's help make the decision to work on correcting this in our own lives? By all means, yes.
Perspective is the window that leads to transformation. In other words for transformation to take place in our lives we have to begin to look at something differently: maybe a situation, maybe it's a passage of scripture, maybe it's a crisis or something we hear presented by another party. Perhaps it's an experience or a song, but something in your mind takes captive of a passing idea and captures it for a second glace. In that moment, however momentary, you have the opportunity to choose to follow that new thought process and develop into something different or to disregard it and return to what you knew before.
The trouble is that our very own culture pressures us into making decisions based on what is easy not necessarily what is best. Take for example microwave dinners. Now I can testify, and honestly my husband can testify that I have tried almost every available frozen microwave dish available to man today. I cannot stand to cook; really I can't stand the time it takes to prepare a good home cooked meal. This is not to my benefit to share this, but for the sake of this truth, it is a great example. J Now out of all these frozen dinners, there are probably only two that are remotely worth ever spending the money on again. But what do I do week after week? Pick up a few things down various aisles for lunches, select my household odd and ends, and head straight for the frozen food aisle. I realize these forms of food do not provide me with the best value (either nutritionally or in taste) and yet, I select them because it's easy for me…and Stouffers is very grateful too! Often times when we're in a moment of decision, our bent leans towards what's habitual instead of what is right or good. What scripture tells us though is to take every thought captive. The necessity of capturing our thoughts is so that we can look at them, evaluate them, considering our perspective and if necessary change it so that we can continue to transform into the likeness of Christ. That is after all our goal. By the way, transformation should be a continually process also.
So here is our challenge today – increase your toolbox. Changing your perspective takes effort, effort requires you to work at it, and working requires that you have the right tools. The Word of God will give you all kinds of new thoughts and ideas to consider changing your perspective that can result in transformation! What a glorious process!
Get the right perspective. When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He's so big we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and though, "He's so big I can't miss." -- God Can Make It Happen (Victor).
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