Perspective

In business you learn that, “If both parties walk way smiling, it was a good transaction.”  It didn’t matter if the seller sold the product for too little or the buyer paid too much.  If they both were happy with the exchange, it was a good deal.  It is all a matter of perspective.

Just as there are many facets to a diamond, there are many ways to look at a situation.  However I would like to suggest we look at it through God’s eyes.  God is All Seeing, All Knowing, Ever Present and is All Powerful.  He doesn’t need a jeweler’s loupe to see all of our flaws.  He sees the big picture looking at the true value according to the Kingdom of Heaven’s rate of exchange.      

Take the little, one chapter book of Philemon for example.  There are several ways to look at the situation that happened.  Slave ran off, more than likely ripped off his master as he left, ran into Paul (who by the way, was in prison), slave was converted, Paul asks his friend and spiritual son Philemon (slave owner) to take back the slave…not as a slave but as a brother in the faith.

(Many lessons to be learnt from that one page in the Bible – I encourage you to check it out in its un-Joela-ized / unabridged version.) 

We can look at this situation from all three person’s perspectives, but let’s look at it from a fourth view point, God’s.  Yes the slave ran off, but his path took him to Paul.  Paul witnessed to Onesimus the slave, the slave accepts Jesus as his Lord and savior.  There was a party in Heaven (Luke 15:7, 10) as Onesimus was saved and became a believer.  God now could then use the new convert to really assist Philemon in the spread of the gospel.  Onesimus was able to start fulfilling the plan that God had for His life.

God was thrilled to have another child back home.  He had another child to be about the “Father’s Business”.  Onesimus past was just that, the past.  Didn’t matter what he did as the slate was wiped clean.

God doesn’t see us by our past, He sees us by our future.  Think about that for a moment.  He doesn’t see you as the drug addicted mess, He sees you as the person that has been freed from that bondage and will help others to break that bondage.  He doesn’t see you as that abused child, He sees you as the angel on earth that is going to rescue others from abuse.  He doesn’t see you as worthless at all.  He sent His Son to save you, He thinks you are WORTH it ALL!  Isn’t that awesome?!?!

One of my prayers is to see people through God’s eyes.  Not just see what the person looks like with my physical eyes or even what the person wants me to see about them.  But to see who God sees.  I don’t want to look at life through rose colored glasses; I want to have God-vision!  I want to have God’s perspective on life and those in mine. 

In order to have God’s perspective we have to know what He is thinking.  How do we do that?  It is easy.  We have an intimate relationship with Him.  When we get to know Him as we know our spouse and closest friend(s), we will come to know what is on His mind.  We will begin to see our world the way He does and know our role in the Family Business. 

Everyone is a winner in dealing with God.  Jesus paid the ultimate price for your freedom from the enemy that wants you to pay with your life.  No one will walk away smiling dealing with the devil.  Satan’s business is all about stealing, killing and destroying everyone and everything…period!

Having God’s perspective will also bring you closer to Him.  It will cause you to love Him more.  When you love Him more you will love yourself more and then you will be able to love others more.  Isn’t that was He is all about, Love?!?  He is love and that is His perspective toward life.  He sees the people He loves.  He will turn that mess around into a message through love.  That perspective is the one to have, don’t you think?

I pray that you will seek the Father’s Perspective and have it for yourself.

Until Next Time; God Bless!