Perspective

Last Sunday, I taught a lesson to my Bible Study class. I always learn more than my students, and feel that it is a waste of time for them if they don't learn also. I read a quote to my class that said, "God cannot be discovered. He reveals Himself when we are ready." I thought about that a lot this week. This morning, I opened the French doors in the dining area so that we could look out at the park during breakfast. As I sat eating my frosted shredded wheat, I became entranced by a huge gold cross that was brilliantly lighted on the far side of the park. When I told Bill what I saw, he thought I had really lost it! I stood up and insisted that he sit in my chair. As soon as he sat down, he could see the cross! I was so relieved! The sun was bouncing off of a metal container in such a way that it truly resembled a huge lighted gold cross. It was beautiful! We both realized that what a person sees is often from their perspective. If you don't have the right perspective, it is possible to miss many things in life. Bill had the good sense to change his position and try to see things through my eyes.

We have a new teacher at our school who is very young, and seems to personify the way America thinks. She is tall, slender and blond. She goes to the tanning salon several times a week, is an admitted shopaholic and is planning to buy a very expensive SUV. Recently, when she hurt her leg, she let everyone know that her family doesn't have health insurance. She doesn't want to pay a deductable. When we asked about her children, she told us that she always gets free care for them because she has no money in the bank, and the government will take care of her also. I was reminded of the lady at the job service center in Springfield. She told my sister-in-law, Janice, that she would rather continue getting unemployment, because there are so many people who need a job more than she does. People use to hide these attitudes, but now they are "cool". The rest of us work, pay our bills, and invest. For some reason, I'd rather be on the giving end of life, rather than the receiving. It's so much more fun! And that's my perspective.