Perspective: being able to see the forest in spite of the trees; understanding the truth in spite of the facts; grasping the context of your situation; understanding the bigger picture. We all need to gain a little perspective from time to time.
Standing in my driveway I see several houses that are a lot like mine. I see the landscaping, the front doors, and the cars in the other driveways. When I make my semi-annual pilgrimage up on my roof to check things out I gain a different perspective. I see uncharted corners of my neighborhood. I see front doors and back doors, patios and enclosed porches, rooftops and chimneys. Same neighborhood--different perspective.
I have a friend that has been a good friend for 14 years. Through those years he's been one of the people who brings perspective into my life. Just talking things through with him helps me gain perspectives. We all need people to help us see things in new ways.
Yesterday I probably needed a little perspective. I was a little miffed with how things were going and the view from the "driveway" was getting me down a little. I called my friend more to see how he was doing than to gain perspective.
When I called him I asked him what he was doing. He said that he was at the cemetery. He'd stopped by to visit his wife's grave and have a word of prayer. You see, my friend lost his wife about a year ago in a tragic car accident. Perspective. That was about all of the perspective that I needed for a long time.
When you reach into the cheese barrel and pull your hand out with a mousetrap clamped to it just be thankful it wasn't a bear trap.
Perspective: (I Corinthians 4:16ff NIV) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are bing renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Perspective: every once in a while you've got to get off the driveway and climb up on the rooftop.
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