“Are we almost there yet?” Every parent has heard this question at one point or another. Even when a trip has just started, this question will arise. The child asking has no concept of how long the trip will be. Therefore their perspective is that the car ride should soon end. Five minutes is a lifetime to a three-year-old. If the car trip lasts longer than that, they believe that the journey is never-ending.
As adults, we understand how long the trip is and what landmarks and milestones we are passing. We see progress because we know more than the small, anxious child in the backseat.
Perception is tricky. Our culture, our past experiences, and even our prejudices influence our understanding of things around us. These influencing agents will often shape the basis of our reasoning without us being aware of it. Our perceptions help to form our thoughts, and our thoughts precipitate our actions. For this reason, we must make sure we are taking a long-term look at reality.
I remember a discussion I had with a pastor. He asked me about some point of theology, and I gave him my answer. He stated that he disagreed with me. He then laid out his case for his position. I listened and realized that he was making the same point I had made. The difference was that he was using different words and phrases. Due to his cultural background, he used certain words to express specific thoughts, and due to my cultural history, I stated the same ideas with different terms. Because of the difference in word choice, he perceived that I disagreed with him.
Where we are when we view something affects how we will see it. We can read a scripture verse one time, and it will encourage us in our situation. In a different setting, the same verse will give us support in a different manner.
I have a chicken coop roof that has two colors of roofing on it. The north side has silver tin roofing. The south side has white metal roofing. My neighbors on the south would declare the building has a white roof. The neighbors on the north would argue that the building has a silver roof. Each person would be correct, but their point of perspective makes a difference in what they see.
The author of Psalm 139:16 speaks of God seeing our entire life at once. We must trust God as He guides us because He can see our whole life journey at one time. God’s infinite knowledge gives Him a complete understanding of our lives. We tend to fixate on the moment, but God sees the entirety of our life. We must remember that we can only see a limited portion of our lifetime at once.
My perspective changes if I hike to the top of a mountain. When I am in the valley, I can see the mountain. At the top of the peak, I can see many ranges of mountains and even into the next state. Even with a mountaintop view, my perspective of the Rocky Mountains, as a whole chain, is limited. The Rocky Mountains stretch from Alaska down through Canada, the lower 48 states, and beyond. The most I can see is 100 miles from my mountaintop vantage point. I think I can see a lot, but a map tells me I see very little. Sometimes we get caught up in circumstances of the moment our perception changes, and we stop seeing the big picture.
Even when I can see mountain ranges for many miles, I cannot see into every valley. My perception of what I see is limited. I cannot tell if the valleys have sunlight pastures or if they are full of cliffs and rockslides. The only thing I am sure of is that there will be times of breath-taking views and easy walking and other times of forcing myself to take one more step if I plan to hike to the current horizon.
We must be careful with our perceptions of others because we do not know what valleys they have been through or what rough terrain they are currently walking.
Just because you think you perceive something does not mean that it is true. You may not have all the facts. You may have failed to figure in a cultural difference, or you may have misread the other person’s motive or attitude.
My father used to describe people who formed opinions without full information, with this one-liner, “They sprained their opinion by jumping to conclusions.” Our perceptions affect how we view life, the people around us, and the conclusions we make.
God does not have limitations like humans do. Scripture tells us he knows the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) He sees our entire plan and what the actual results will be before the implementation of our strategy. He knows if we intend to seek His kingdom or to seek our kingdom. He knows our motives, attitudes, and reasoning.
Most of the time, we base our assumptions on our current situation. We fail to take into account the past and the possibility of change occurring in the future. Our perception in the hard times tends toward reality without context.
Perhaps some of the best advice I have ever received was from friends older than I am. The recommendation came during an exceptionally severe storm of life I was facing. It was merely, “This storm won’t last forever.” Based on my perspective in the middle of the gale, it seemed like the storm would never end. My survival seemed uncertain. I felt like I would never see bright sunny days again. My fixation on the situation gave me a faulty perspective. My friends had been through the storms of life and had a better understanding. They knew that, while stormy times happen throughout life, each storm eventually ends.
Our all-knowing God invites us to live in His shadow and to allow Him to help us put our perceptions in a proper perspective.