“Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?” Mark 8:18

What’s Your Perception?

I was at my niece’s first birthday party. It was a beautiful day after a hard winter, and we all found ourselves outside, enjoying the sunshine. The birthday girl toddled adorably about in her frilly new dress. A friend’s son started playing underneath a tree. Just over his head was a branch, and he gleefully leaped up to swing from it. And swing he did, until he wanted down. I watched him stretch his toes, trying to find the ground. When he couldn’t, he panicked, and began to scream wildly. What he didn’t know was that his feet were literally an inch from the ground. It would have been funny had it not terrified him so. I helped him down (which wasn’t hard), and tried to show him how close he had been. This child repeated that scenario several times! He simply wasn’t getting it. All he had to do was look down!

Have you ever found yourself recounting an event with someone, only to have their perception of it be completely different from your own? How does this happen? How can we have experienced the same thing, yet not experience the same thing?

I think that whatever we are currently going through can color our perception greatly. Are things going great? Let’s slap on those rose-colored glasses, and cast the world in a lovely, rosy glow. Are things not going so well in life? Good thing we have these dull, grey-colored glasses to reflect our inner Eeyore. Personalities play a role as well, as some people are naturally more upbeat than others. I have learned from a lifetime of being one who doesn’t give a great first impression to know the importance of 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th impressions.

There are so many different scenarios in which we can have the wrong perception! I want to be a person who has great discernment. I don’t want to color the world around me with my reality, and I don’t want to be a conclusion jumper. I want to reflect the Lord, and I think the only way I can do this is to have my “Jesus Glasses” handy. I know that sounds cheesy, but if I strive to see the world as He sees it, to see (and love) His children as He does, I’ll do a much better job. 

“Father, please give us Your perception of the world around us. Help us to love as You love. May our thoughts and actions be a reflection of You. Thank You for Your gift of the Word, that we may grow in knowledge. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”