Tip of My Iceberg

We’ve had a cold spell here in Florida–it got down to the high 70s. People delightedly wore long sleeves and sweaters for a brief moment. We so rarely get to wear cold-weather clothing.

In Colorado, our dear grand Beck experienced his first snow of the season–a little different from our cold front. He’s exhilarated by cold and snow and the many wonderful activities one can do during the winter.

He does, however, look a tad bit like a corpse as he’s making his first-of-the-year snow angel. That’s my perspective seeing him from a photograph. I didn’t get to hear his joy at flopping down in the cold and wet and windmilling his arms to create a momentary image of an angel. If I stopped there, I’d think he was dead in the snow.

But our daughter sent more pictures where he was very much alive and moving, enjoying the beauty around him. He is a true Colorado kid.

I’m constantly being made aware how much my perspective colors my attitudes, choices, and opinions. When I don’t see the full picture, it’s easy for me to miss the whole truth. When we don’t have all the facts, we easily jump to conclusions, assuming things that aren’t so.

This is part of our humanity. We can’t hope to know everything, so we make judgments with whatever information we receive. Like computers, our brains are only going to process what’s taken in–and if we limit what we listen to, who we choose to follow, or the popular influence of the day, we only have one perspective without the advantage of listening to different voices,

and viewpoints. It’s why there’s so much contentiousness in the world–we choose sides with what we want to believe.

In Jesus’ time it was no different. The religious scholars of the day dismissed Jesus’ teaching because He didn’t follow their strict rules and traditions. His heart was for people, and knowing our limits and the shortcomings of humanity, He offered grace, forgiveness, and acceptance when the religious leaders offered condemnation for those who didn’t follow their rules.

Jesus sought to change people’s perspective on merely “doing” for acceptance so individuals would focus more on receiving the grace, mercy, and pardon He offered for our messiness.

“So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often LOOKS like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without His unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us (in heaven). There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Our ability to understand the big picture is limited by our own finiteness. Unless we choose to look further than what our senses tell us, we’ll always limit ourselves to appearances. Absolute truth tells a fuller story.

When I look at Beck lying in the snow, he looks like he’s beyond help. Seeing past appearances, I’m grateful he’s alive and well and merely enjoying a moment in the snow.

Culturally today we’re marginalized by what and who we listen to, by the people we choose to be attentive to, and by biases that so easily become part of our stories. Choosing to go beyond what we see to what matters is often a difficult decision.

Jesus would say it takes courage to see past the loud and blaring to the gentle voice He uses.

Who are you listening to?