Change in Perspective

 

Who is that peeking over my fence? As I walked through my back yard, I was at just the right height to see these beautiful blossoms as they appear to be peering into my yard. As interesting as this unexpected sight was, what is really interesting is the fact that this lovely plant is not growing on the backside of my fence. It is growing on the other side of my neighbors fence. In fact, it is growing on the other side of my neighbors fence all the way across the alley!

This was a moment where it was clear how important a role perspective plays in our day to day lives, how our point of view makes the difference.

When I was a little boy, I could always find my daddy in a crowd. From the periphery of the room I would look up and find the tall man with white hair. Then I would weave my way through the other people until I was by his side. One Sunday at church I spotted the hair, navigated my way over and wrapped my arms around his leg, as was my custom. But instead of the pat on my head I always received, it seemed I was being shaken off! To my horror, I looked up to see the face of another white haired man looking down at me in confusion. Due to my low level, restricted point of view, I had ended up in the wrong place. I needed a better perspective.

The Apostle writes, “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.” When we experience God’s grace, it changes our perspective. We begin to see other people through the point of view of grace. We don’t judge. We don’t value people solely on the criteria of whether they think like we think or look like we look. God gives us a new point of view. We begin to see a person as someone God loves. We begin to see possibilities as God works in that life. In this new perspective of grace, we begin to see ourselves in the faces of others. We begin to see that we are all just sinners, saved by grace.

Peace.