Perspective

 

The freezing rain, sleet and snow finally stopped. The temperatures remained cold, but the Texas sun returned. After a couple of days of sunshine, the streets and sidewalks cleared, except for the random shady spot here and there that remained tricky and treacherous. Restaurants and other businesses reopened and traffic returned to normal.

In my neighborhood, there ended up being much more ice than snow. So, as I walked the streets, I was surprised to see this lone snowman. It was still standing tall - well, not tall, it is a snowman of small stature - as all the snow and ice around it disappears. Carrot nose still in place. A scarf around the neck to keep it warm. Standing in the sun, casting a long shadow, this snowman looked a bit lonely.

It also struck me that it was hard to tell from this image whether the snowman appears to be melting down or rising up. From one perspective, the wet pavement could be the source of its life; from another perspective, a sign of the end. Much in life depends on the point of view from where one stands at the moment.

In the grand Joseph story from the Book of Genesis, one bad thing after another befalls the arrogant young Joseph. The tale of unfortunate events begins with his brothers, fed up with his favored position in the family and his constant reminding them of it, selling him off as a slave to a passing caravan. But, at the end of the story, Joseph ends up in a place of power and saves his family from starvation. He then, and only then, can look back and say, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Across the years of our lives, we will no doubt have our share of both good times and hard times. We will no doubt have our share of “rising up” moments and “melting down” moments. It would do us well to remember the story of Joseph. God is at work in both types of times in our lives. Our perspective on a particular event at a particular moment in life may be changed as our story continues to unfold. We never know when the sun may come out and change our perspective.

Peace.