A Matter of Perspective

 

My mom used to call me the “happy little optimist.” I took after her. She always seemed “up” despite constant and pressing medical issues most of her live, and the ensuing financial drain on the family budget. We were poor, and she was “up.” I learned from those issues and her attitude, and grew up into one whose cup was always half full instead of half empty. Her issues also taught me to see the good in people instead of looking for the bad.

 

What do we read in that graphic? Many will read evil, but some will see good the first time. It’s the same in our lives. Many will immediately see suspected evil in people and situations, and their focus will remain there, affording them little opportunity to see any good that may be present. Others will see good, and that will allow them to build upon that good and help grow that person or improve the situation. There will be times when all that anyone, regardless of perspective, sees is absolutely nothing but pure unadulterated evil. That is a different situation altogether.

We all know that there is good and evil in this world. Seeing evil (shall we say sin) in our first encounter with average, everyday people and situations is like looking into a tunnel and saying “it’s dark in here.” By seeing those same people and situations as good, we are looking into that same tunnel, but adding “but there is light at the end of that tunnel.”

When we see the good first, and recognize that there may be evil (sin) there, we have the opportunity to let our light be the light in that tunnel if we are truly men of God.

Bottom Line Thought: Could looking for the good first change your perspective of people and situations, and thus let you use your light to light the way for them to change their lives?