Much has changed in our country in the past few years. Voters replaced a Conservative Republican President with a Liberal Democratic President. While some perceive that as a forward move, others do not. Skyrocketing gas prices and food shortages/increased prices have left some to believe we are headed toward a recession, while a surplus of jobs and a booming housing market have others claiming the economy is fine. With the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, the media is flooded with opposing perspectives.
Sometimes our perspectives can sway us into thinking that there is only one true viewpoint on any given subject. This is often not the case. For example, behind my house are many trees that extend approximately 150 yards down to a valley. Having been a city girl most of my life, my perspective is that we now have a beautiful “forest” out back. Some neighbors prefer to call it “the woods,” while others who live on a larger acreage might refer to it as simply “a tree line.” We all have different (none necessarily wrong) perspectives of this group of trees.
The same can be true about our religious perspectives. Where some see the house of God to be a place of reverential knee bowing and solemn acts steeped in tradition, others may view it as a place of hand-clapping, shouts of “Amen!” or even speaking in tongues. Is only one of these a “right” perspective?
Our perspectives are typically derived from our experiences, our upbringing/tribal influence and our personal preferences. "Perspective" is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as, “the ability to consider things in relation to one another accurately and fairly.” Even so, what is accurate and fair tends to be subjective. So what do we do?
As Christ-followers, we are told in Scripture that we have a “new perspective,” one that the world does not have, and one that does not stem from our experiences, influences or preferences. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV) states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Romans 12:2 (ESV) also reads, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” In other words, our perspective should be that of Christ, since we are now in Christ. His perspective was that of His Father. He never argued His point, never put His preferences above His love for others, and always sought out His Father for guidance.
While we never want to compromise on solid biblical truths, we may want to consider how God might be giving different people differing perspectives to meet specific needs and purposes that He ordained. We must also keep in mind that the enemy is in his domain; our world. He is a roaring lion seeking to devour by creating divisiveness. We must not fall into his snare, keeping our focus on our mission, and not our differences.
How might you maintain a right perspective during these trying times?