It's All A Matter Of Perspective

A couple of days ago in a post titled Rejoice When?, I shared about a cat of ours who seems to have a good time regardless of his circumstances. I related this to the apostle Paul who instructed us to rejoice always, even if things aren't going our way.

As I was working out in our basement this morning I was thinking about this same cat of ours. He had gotten locked in the basement on Sunday for at least a few hours. When we found him, he was lying on our ping pong table as content as could be...not worried, not stressing but simply relaxing. It was as if he was saying, "Hi guys. Hey, could you keep it down? I'm trying to take a nap."

This got me thinking about my post from last week. I was taken to a comment that was left by Michelle Corbett who said this:

I wonder if I could write a blog post about what I learn from my cat breaking absolutely everything valuable in my house (from spilling water on my laptop to busting the table and making a special lamp fall to the ground). Yesterday I came home to her standing in a pile of curtains she had pulled to the ground. Hmmmm. I'll have to think about this. ( :

I responded with a comment saying that I would find it hard to rejoice if that happened to me also. But this morning something was not sitting right with me about my response.

Paul wrote his words about "rejoicing always" while he was locked in a cold, grimy prison cell. I know he would have found a way to rejoice had his cat done this to his house, but how?

I came to the conclusion that Paul probably would have responded in this way:

"Oh, you darn cat! Oh well, I am so thankful I have a laptop that could have water spilled on it. I am so thankful to have curtains my cat can tear down. Thank you Lord for the house I have that I get to clean up!"

As tough as we might think this is to respond like this, when you really think about it, it's really only a matter of perspective.

Change of Perspective

I have a busy day planned today. Just a couple of hours this morning in the office then I have 4 back-to-back appointments which will keep me out all day. As a result, I planned to get up early, work out, spend some time with God and get an early start to my work day.

My plans were interrupted during my prayer time when my son told me that he had gone back to sleep after he had turned off his alarm and he had missed the bus. I needed to take him to school. This only took 20 minutes but it seemed like it was an hour.

I fought off every temptation to tell him how disappointed I was and that this was really "messing up" my plans for the day. God reminded me that not many days go by in which I don't "mess up" His plans. Yet, He still loves me just the same.

After hearing that, I became very thankful that I have such an awesome son that I "get" to take to school. Thank you Lord!

A New Perspective

For years my favorite movie has been It's a Wonderful Life. We watched this in our house on Saturday. Actually we do this every year. Really, my family does this for me, because they know I love it so much. They also like to watch me cry at the end.

I suppose I love this movie because one of the main themes of the film is that we all make a difference in the lives of others, even if we don't realize it. In other words, we all have a purpose.

In the movie, George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) is a depressed, frustrated young business man who is never able to chase his dreams. He feels trapped and feels that his life is a waste. When he finds out that his company (a savings and loan) is short a large sum of money (due to an error on his uncle's part), he realizes that he would be better off dead than alive. His life insurance money would more than cover the deficit.

Clarence, George's guardian angel visits him and shows George what life would be like had he not been born. It takes George a little while before he realizes he truly has had a wonderful life and that others have been greatly impacted because of his presence in their lives. He realizes the truth of his situation and he decides he wants to live again regardless of the circumstances.

God hears that prayer and he rushes home to find the bank examiner and the police waiting for him to arrest him. He says to the policeman, a friend of his, "And I'll bet that's a warrant for my arrest, isn't that wonderful!"

This reminded me of the apostle Paul who, while in prison, told us to "Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

How could he say that while in prison? Because he had a new perspective. Just like George Bailey, he was shown what was truly important. As a result, his tough circumstances didn't really matter.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Philippians 4:11