The Way I See It

July 20, 2013

I enjoy a little time in social network sites, connecting with loved ones across the country, swapping recipes and information. I also get a glimpse of what is important to others, what dominates their attention. Some stay fixed on their sports teams. Some work toward staying healthy. Some stay riled by the latest political events. Some fixate on fashion, music or movie trends.

It seems there must be some sort of distraction from, or reward for, life’s work and stress—a worth-while pleasure or purpose.

What pushes us forward to the next day? What motivates us?

What is important to you? Where is your focus?

Somewhere along the way, my perspective made a distinctive change. Maybe it came from something I read or something a friend said, but I started seeing everything in terms of what is really important—what will have a lasting impact or make a difference in someone’s life or in the greater scheme of things. Don’t get me wrong. I like feeling good and enjoying life, but I really don’t care about the latest trends that seem to drive people to want more.

I whole-heartedly believe God’s Word. I want to understand it more. I want to know more of God through it. The way I see it, God created everything for a reason. What is that reason? He created everything to work a certain way; and when we re-engineer it, it doesn’t work right. So it benefits us to know how creation was designed to work—how our bodies work, how relationships work, how life works. For me, these are good reasons to turn to God’s Word. But even more important, I wanted to grow closer to God. Along the way, I found a great distinction that changed my perspective, probably forever.

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

When I read Paul’s 2 Corinthians 4:18, I saw distinctively that the eternal world is what is real. As a great friend said, “Everything else is just window dressing.” The stuff of this world is only a distraction from what is real. This made a huge change in how I see everything!

You see, we focus on our lives while God sees a much bigger picture. Since God created everything, He is at the center of everything, not me and not you. I once saw only my life. Now I see God is the center of the universe and I was made for Him.

What do you see when you check out these verses below? Try to see it from God’s perspective.

 “…neither in this world, neither in the world to come” (Matt. 12:32). He sees more than our world; He sees the world to come.

“And he [Jesus] said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world” (John 8:23). “I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father…Ye do the deeds of your father…If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God;…ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do…He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:38–47). God distinguishes people by their spiritual father, which determines their nature (sin or righteous) and their life. He only mentions two fathers. By the way, this puts to rest the idea that all people are children of God, which is taught in today’s new “all paths lead to God” religion.

 “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels” (Matt. 13:38). Jesus just laid out the big picture of what is really going on in our world. 

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:12). This is what is really going on when you look behind the window dressing. Really look at the messages in the trends, the music, the movies, the politics. What is driving people?

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Matt. 24:35; Mark 13:31). This stuff won’t last and isn’t important, but Jesus brought a message from His Father that is eternal and is the whole purpose of our creation.

So what about our lives?

For me, when I see God, I want it to be a very real and intimate relationship. Rather than coming to Him as a stranger to stand before Him as my Judge, I want to come to Him as His child who loves Him, whom He loves and provides for and protects. I want to really know Him. He knows me, always has.

“Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether” (Psalm 139:2–4).

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee” (Jer. 1:5).

 So, what motivates me? In my mind, the greatest need in this world is a spiritual change. That is my focus.