Perspective.
A simple thing in theory but complex in practice. Easily one of the best gifts or rather, commands that God has given us. The best perspective is God’s and it is given to us only by Him through the Holy Spirit. We are enabled to see things as God sees them. Everything in this world looks fundamentally different when we look at it through the Father’s eyes. It is a gift yes, on one hand, because beauty is never so amazing as observed through the eyes of God. For example, as seen in scriptures we are invited to see ourselves and creation the way God sees us from various angles:-
A) I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well (Psalm 139:14 NKJV);
B) In Psalms 8, 9 and 139 we see David marvelling at creation, realizing the majesty of God within it;
C) Consider the lilies of the field, God takes care of them, and we know He will take care of us (Luke 12:27-28, Matthew 6:28-30 NKJV);
D) Redeemed Children of God (Romans 8:15, John 1:12).
That may seem plain enough but then, why do I call it a command? Because God’s perspective is not our natural outlook. We do not ordinarily see any part of life or creation this way without being exposed to or taught this perspective by God and the teachers He sends us. The Christian must LEARN and CHOOSE to see themselves everyday and in everything as redeemed, forgiven, reborn and completely renewed sons of God….and there is therefore no condemnation. See what I did there? Understanding your God given identity, the holiness, the righteousness given to us by God through Jesus Christ chases every bit of condemnation away. But you never get there without learning to see yourself God’s way.
Matthew 6:25-34 reads...
“Therefore I tell you:Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying? And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the lilles of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith? So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,and all these things will be provided for you. Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Dear reader, the significance of what the scriptures show us about the lily is LOST on the one who has not received the understanding of it from the Holy Spirit and can therefore embrace it for themselves! The “God’s Eye View” is what allows a person facing more lack than they can handle to say to their circumstance, “I have seen the lily and I KNOW what my God can do and will do for me.” Do you see that? Do you see the way looking at it with a God perspective causes us to exalt Him and to expect miracles? This, in stark contrast to the weeping, wailing, and worrying that would likely occur if we had no hope in God. With His vision, with God’s perspective, we can see that this problem, this trouble, this place where the water is ROUGH, is just God setting us up to experience Him again in a new way. At the end of it, we can say we serve the God who walks on rough seas, sleeps in boats, and calms the waves.
I will be the first to say that this can be very difficult to do in the moment. It’s hard to see yourself as God created being, whose magnificent construction is cause to praise God. It can be hard to see yourself as a wonderful work of God…especially when all your mirror shows is the rib that sticks out too much, or the rib you can’t see under all that has become you. SMASH THE MIRROR AND OPEN YOUR BIBLE. Declare to yourself all that God, your creator has said about you, listen for the Holy Spirit’s soft voice speaking a word to you, see you as He sees you. All other views, all other perspectives are completely irrelevant and of no consequence. All of those will pass away and only the “God’s Eye View” will remain.
So, reader, I challenge you today to take a chance on God. Turn your eyes to Him. Repent of that innate inability to see things His way. He will forgive you; He knows you were born with Eve’s eyes, but He sent His only son to transform you completely, even down to your very eyes. And Thank God for Jesus.
Say this little prayer if this is a journey you’re ready to go on.
God,
I need a change. I need to see things like you do instead of what my limited sight reveals. Please teach me your perspective. Teach me to see me like you do, teach me to look at life and creation through your eyes. I know only your view matters for eternity. Help me to have and operate with Godly perspective so I can know you and serve you better.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen