This I know for Sure...it's all about Perspective

Sure, we've all heard about the "glass half full/glass half empty" idea...and it's enlightening, don't get me wrong...but, it's a label - "Well, she's just negative that way.  You know, just a glass half empty kind of girl."  I really don't like that!  I don't like to be labeled anything because it boxes me in .It doesn't allow for change.  I know so many people who grew up being labeled and their adult siblings and parents STILL label them the same as when they were children despite being changed.  A VERY DEAR friend and her husband call this "looking at each other through OLD EYES".  The first time I heard her say that I thought,  WOW...that's so profound!  How often do we look at people as WHO THEY WERE INSTEAD OF WHO THEY ARE?  And, if that's Life 101, then how about this for the Life 301 folks...how often do we look at ourselves as WHO WE THINK WE ARE INSTEAD OF WHO GOD SAYS WE ARE? (I'll save that one for another day).

I had this happen to me a few weeks ago when I was on the phone with a family member.  My extended family has been going through a crisis and it has stirred up quite a bit of emotion (hmmm...a family crisis stirring up emotion?  No way!) and I was told that maybe I shouldn't be the one to talk to a certain person because I'm "too defensive".  It was one of those comments that throws you back into childhood.  As I often do when I get a "red flag" emotion, once I got off the phone, I sat down and really prayed about what was said.  I'm not gonna lie, it hurt my feelings. It hurt my feelings...well, because it was critical (and that's not always bad, it just doesn't feel good).  But more than that, it hurt my feelings because that person was viewing me through "old eyes" and doesn't really know ME today. 

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Cor 5:17

God, if we seek Him, grows us and changes us into His likeness.  God calls for forward motion...for change...for the renewing of our minds.  Oh, how I love that He sees me for who I AM and WILL BE (with His transforming power) instead of for who I WAS.


It's all about perspective...clean those eyes (or glasses for those of us who are 40 or above) and look at those around us through "new eyes" ...it's life in HD.