FROM: Banbury, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
ABOUT ME: Living the highs and lows of life in the adventurous pursuit of God Himself and of who I'm meant to be as the Bride of Christ.
(View complete profile)
Saturday, June 09, 2007,9:46 a.m.
PERSPECTIVE
This post is dedicated to Mr. Stephen P. Bell, who, in the most concise manner possible, has kicked my butt for not writing as often as I used to. Stephen, this one's for you. OK, well, actually, this isn't written specifically for you, but I will allow you to think that it is. (In school we used to call this method of "writing more" padding - how am I doing? Writing enough for you? Not quite what you meant, eh? But still....it's more....) :P
I have been thinking about perspective this week. I have a really close friend who likes trees. Now, I like trees as much as the next person. I especially like to climb trees, but that's another blog altogether. This friend of mine likes to walk under a tree and look straight up. She made me do this recently when we were out for a walk together, and it is truly a different experience. It's beautiful, and each tree offers a unique experience. I would bet that most people miss this beauty, simply for a lack of knowing where to look or that this beauty is there to be found. The perspective of those who have not yet looked up into a tree remains, to date, somewhat limited.
It's made me think about the perspective that I have as a Believer. I choose to check with the Lord before moving left or right. I choose to believe in impossible things and things never seen. I choose to see beauty and light and hope.
I choose to look up.
Just like when a car drives by the side of road and sees my friend and I staring up into the branches of a tree like fools (it does look mighty weird), those who do not understand the perspective of faith in God might consider my believing and trusting in His words and love to be foolish.
Well, cool.
I'd rather be thought a fool for the sake of Christ than disregard His guidance and love and be known to be a fool.
What's funny to me is that often in my desire to be looking up to the Lord and gaining wisdom and guidance from Him alone, other Believers think that I am being foolish. Now this, I must admit, I don't understand. I'm not speaking of times when other Believers come alongside and rebuke or gently correct wrong perspectives or beliefs that don't jive with the scriptures. These things are necessary and the very reason that we are in a body together. I think I am more referring to the times when I feel the Lord has guided me somewhere, and my response of obedience has confused and even angered some people.
But I'm not sure that everyone understood why Moses had to go back to Egypt, perhaps not even Moses. But he went because He was told to go.
I'm not sure that everyone (anyone!) understood why Noah was building an ark, perhaps not even Noah. But he built one because He was told to.
I'm not sure that everyone understood why Jesus deliberately walked all the way to the cross and death, and though I believe that He understood what He was doing, He went because He was told to go.
Perhaps I don't need to know why this dynamic in the church is the way it is, at least not at this time. For now, I will choose to believe. I choose to follow.
I choose to do my best to look up.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5;25)
I have been thinking about perspective this week. I have a really close friend who likes trees. Now, I like trees as much as the next person. I especially like to climb trees, but that's another blog altogether. This friend of mine likes to walk under a tree and look straight up. She made me do this recently when we were out for a walk together, and it is truly a different experience. It's beautiful, and each tree offers a unique experience. I would bet that most people miss this beauty, simply for a lack of knowing where to look or that this beauty is there to be found. The perspective of those who have not yet looked up into a tree remains, to date, somewhat limited.
It's made me think about the perspective that I have as a Believer. I choose to check with the Lord before moving left or right. I choose to believe in impossible things and things never seen. I choose to see beauty and light and hope.
I choose to look up.
Just like when a car drives by the side of road and sees my friend and I staring up into the branches of a tree like fools (it does look mighty weird), those who do not understand the perspective of faith in God might consider my believing and trusting in His words and love to be foolish.
Well, cool.
I'd rather be thought a fool for the sake of Christ than disregard His guidance and love and be known to be a fool.
What's funny to me is that often in my desire to be looking up to the Lord and gaining wisdom and guidance from Him alone, other Believers think that I am being foolish. Now this, I must admit, I don't understand. I'm not speaking of times when other Believers come alongside and rebuke or gently correct wrong perspectives or beliefs that don't jive with the scriptures. These things are necessary and the very reason that we are in a body together. I think I am more referring to the times when I feel the Lord has guided me somewhere, and my response of obedience has confused and even angered some people.
But I'm not sure that everyone understood why Moses had to go back to Egypt, perhaps not even Moses. But he went because He was told to go.
I'm not sure that everyone (anyone!) understood why Noah was building an ark, perhaps not even Noah. But he built one because He was told to.
I'm not sure that everyone understood why Jesus deliberately walked all the way to the cross and death, and though I believe that He understood what He was doing, He went because He was told to go.
Perhaps I don't need to know why this dynamic in the church is the way it is, at least not at this time. For now, I will choose to believe. I choose to follow.
I choose to do my best to look up.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (Galatians 5;25)
