Living 4 Him

“But we have the mind of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 2:16

Sunday morning.  Her destination, the synagogue.  Jesus would be teaching there.  Her gait slow, she plodded along, staring at the ground because her body bent in a heap,  For 18 years, she had lived unable to straighten.  She could hear those around her but never see them eye to eye. 

She entered the synagogue.  Forced into the rear of the room.  But still he saw her!  Jesus called her forward.  One touch and her back straightened!  Oh how she praised God!  Standing straight, a new perspective met her eyes!  (Luke 13:10-17) 

With his touch, Jesus changed this woman forever, releasing her from the narrow bonds inflicted by her body and delivering a new way to look at the world.  A touch from Jesus can change our perspectives as well.  When Jesus enters our lives, he releases us from worldly views and opens the gates to God’s perspective.  No longer staring at just the surface of the world,  we look up and see possibility! 

Our limited perspectives on earth call for something more.  We need to believe in a view beyond what we know; to reach for a larger, more complete picture.  God is the one in charge of this picture.  His character forms his perspective.  God watches over us in goodness and love; therefore as God shares his perspective with us, an admiration and awe develop inside our hearts, resulting in a positive, shining, restored view.  A hope for what can be.

With God’s perspective, we begin to think and work like him. 

God’s perspective leads us to see with empathy.  Empathy is looking at the world through another person’s eyes, understanding their needs, deciphering their emotions.  When empathy is part of our perspective, we recognize the similarities we share with others rather than differences which moves us to a higher level of concern and care. 

God’s perspective leads us to see with compassion.  God is love.  He desires us to bring his love to this earth, showing love to those around us and noticing those who need an extra dose of love.  With a compassionate perspective, God’s kingdom of love, peace and joy thrives.

God’s perspective leads us to see the good. God has the phenomenal ability to make all things good.  So even as we perceive what seems wrong or unnatural, our Godly perspectives provide the favorable side of a situation.  This perspective decreases our burdens and spotlights the heavenly hope that exists even in the midst of darkness.

God’s perspective will prevail.  Because God is in control and has triumphed in victory over evil, his perspective will prevail.  So perhaps spending our days staying in line with his perspective is the best way to live. 

Henry David Thoreau is quoted as saying, The question is not what you look at, but what you see.

Are we looking at life from a narrow perspective unable to budge from what we perceive to be true or are we allowing God to take control of our perspective and open us to believing that his way can transform debris to beauty?  Look up!  Look out!  Look around!  God is everywhere and he’ll help you stand tall!

Reaching in (allowing God’s word to work in our souls):  Read Luke 13:10-17 and experience the woman’s change in perspective for yourself.

Reaching out (taking God’s word into the world):  Where are you stuck or frustrated or confused?  Ask God to share his perspective with you and find the way through.