Pastoral Ponderings—Perspective
I don’t usually sit on the floor. I don’t often get to gaze into the sparkling eyes of the cutest little kitten in the world, nor get to see the world from that kitten’s upside down perspective! I rolled Boots (what an original name!) onto his back, and he just stayed there, transfixed, as if hypnotized, so I couldn’t resist snapping a few pics and sharing!
We can’t help but see the world from some distinct perspective- whether from a silly upside down place on the floor from the wonderous eyes of a kitten, or from the eyes of a jaded old warrior—and what we see differs with the perspective from which we see. I’m always giving Darling Wife a hard time for not seeing what’s right there—the half gallon of whipping cream “hiding” in plain sight behind the small jar of mayonnaise was the latest! But she gives it right back when it’s my turn—“where are my keys?” “Look in your other hand!” Might even sound familiar.
We see what we’re looking for, not what’s actually there. If we’re looking for ugliness in the world, there’s plenty to see all around us. When we’re looking for beauty and wonder around us (as we might find in a kitten’s sparkling upside down eyes), there’s ample to fill our souls and more.
When was the last time you were in prison? Not a pretty place is it. And that was likely a modern American prison. Can you imagine being in an ancient prison of the notorious Roman Empire? Yet it was from such a place that these famous words were penned– “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
If from that kind of place, one can encourage others to see the good in whatever the situation, can’t we in our dark places, or in places where those around us are eagerly pointing and yammering about all the terrible things around us, keep our perspective one the borrows the sparkle of an upside down face of grace like that of Jesus’ (or Boots the kitten’s for that matter)?
Looking for the sparkle of life—Pastor Jim