Perspective

We all live in the same world as everyone else, but we all have different experiences and understandings of how things work. Our observations of the world are largely determined by what we look for. We see the world mostly as we expect to see it.

The dentist looks at your teeth.

The gospel makes sense to those who want to understand it, but it will never make sense to those who don't want to in the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:1-6). The truth of the gospel is clear but how we look at the gospel will change whether or not we will be able to see the truth of the gospel. People who don’t want to believe the gospel is true will not see any evidence that it is until they allow themselves to possibly accept that the gospel may be true. It is hard to look at the evidence objectively when you have already determined what the answer is.

You see the things you are trained to see. 

Through education and life experiences, we learn how to negotiate our lives. We train ourselves how to determine who we trust, what we value and why we behave the way we do. If we want to learn to see something new or an old thing in a new light, we have to have a perspective that new ideas are possible. Without a perspective of openness, we will be locked into our way of seeing things.

When you row another person across the river, you get there yourself.

Our perspective changes everything. Our motivation for what we do changes based on what we are looking for. If we serve ourselves first, others may tag along and receive the benefits of our good choices. If we have the perspective of serving others first, we will see our action benefiting them and improving our life at the same time. Self-maintenance will come naturally without intentionally thinking about it, “for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.” (Ephesians 5:29).