PERSPECTIVE

This has become such a huge, important word in my life. My husband, Tom, likes to use the word “awareness” right alongside the word “perspective”. Sometimes things we do and say and think are absolutely incorrect because we don’t have perspective.  I’ve been guilty of this. Perhaps you have been as well. 

Here is a well- known “perspective” story:  (a version of it is in Covey's “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”)

There was a businessman coming home from a very hectic day at the office. He lived in NYC and was taking his daily subway train ride from work to home.  As he boarded the train he was ready to sit and chill and maybe read a few of his notes from the last meeting of the day.  He sat down and comfortably settled into his seat and began to search for his notes. About this same time a father and his two children boarded the train and sat on the seat across from him. The father sat quietly as his children proceeded to misbehave - badly. The children were loud and quite obnoxious. The businessman was very irritated at this disruption to his subway ride. At first he just gave the children some disapproving glares and glanced at the father as if to say, “Do something about your kids”! The businessman noticed several other passengers looking annoyed and heard a few comments and loud sighs. After about 10 minutes of the children’s bad behavior the businessman could contain himself no longer and he blurted out to the father, “Sir, can you please do something about your children? They are being very disruptive.” The father, as if waking from a trance, replied, “Oh, I am so terribly sorry sir. I really hadn’t even noticed. You see, we just left the hospital where we all just said our final goodbyes to their mother. She passed away earlier this afternoon. I’m not sure how to handle this situation and I don’t think the kids know how to handle it either. I do apologize for disturbing you.”

The businessman immediately felt horrible and every bad feeling he had about the father and the children lifted. His tolerance for the children's bad behavior reached new heights and he gave the man his condolences and deepest sympathies. Every person in ear shot of the conversation and the kids changed their demeanor and mood immediately.

This story illustrates that PERSPECTIVE is incredibly important.  

Sometimes stories can help us gain perspective. Jesus used this method all the time with anyone he encountered.  He was the ultimate teller of parables or stories to make his points. 

I hope to write more stories more often on this blog. I apologize for not living up to my 2014 resolution to write daily. However, I’m not beating myself up about that. The resolution still stands. Life is a journey. Progress comes in little steps. Today I am a step closer to my goal of blogging regularly. 

Here is my PERSPECTIVE today….share your feelings of love and thankfulness with those that mean the most to you and show love and appreciation for all  those you come in contact with today. If they look or act differently than you, you should still show love and care filled courtesy and kindness. This is God’s way as I understand it from reading His book. Don’t try to guess what someone else is thinking or what their motives might be….quite honestly, you don’t have enough information! Stop gossip and slander. These are hateful things. Check out Ephesians 4:29 and Proverbs 16:28. 

And please remember the businessman, the father, his unruly children and the subway ride. You probably don't have enough information to make a harsh judgment on someone else. Be careful  (what a GREAT word –careful – full of care) with your words and pray for more PERSPECTIVE and quite frankly friends, pray for more LOVE! I'm not seeing as much of it among His people as I'm sure He desires. Also, some of us need to realize there is only ONE GOD, and that means there is only ONE Holy Spirit. And guess what? You and I are not it.

I sure do love Jesus and I’m glad He first loved me and I really believe He calls me to show His love to everyone I meet. Soli Deo Gloria  

PAM

 
Proverbs 21:23 – “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble”.