Over the 4th of July weekend Heather and I rented Vantage Point. It was a good movie, a solid rental if you are looking to have a relaxing (though it is classified as "suspenseful") movie night at home. The movie communicates a sequence of events from multiple points of view. As the movie unfolds more and more perspectives are communicated, leading to the complete unfolding of the actual events. No single perspective is complete, capturing the whole story. Each perspective is lacking something. It is only when they are all pieced together that you see what actually takes place (this is the "suspenseful" part, if you want to call it that).
The movie sent me off on a tangent as I pondered my perspective or vantage point on life, family, and church. Is it right? Is it complete? Who is the center of it? What makes my perspective the best? What can I do to enhance it and broaden my perspective? All these questions are good to ask and can be helpful as long as they stay within the framework of Christ's perspective. In a sense we need to put on new lenses (or clean our existing ones) and see the world through the eyes of Jesus.
There is a story in the Bible where there is a stark contrast between two perspectives. While Jesus is talking with his disciples they listen and begin to picture and imagine something that is familiar and relevant to them. Jesus begins talking to the disciples using present day illustrations that correlate to "worldly" greatness. We know this because Jesus says. "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them." This is something the disciples can see and experience. From their earthly and material vantage point this is exactly what power, greatness, authority, and leadership looked like.
But through the eyes of Jesus it looks completely different. Jesus continues with the disciples by saying. "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." The emphasis of the last verse of this section of Scripture (Matthew 20:20-28) lays in the phrase, just as the Son of Man. It is as if Jesus is looking his disciples squarely in the eyes imploring them to follow his example and way of life - to view life a bit differently, from his vantage point.
Seeing life through the eyes of Jesus will enable us to set aside our own ambitions of greatness and power, allowing us to serve and love those beyond our wildest imaginations. The eyes of Jesus will make us to funnel our time and talents towards those who are not as privileged and blessed as we might be. Ultimately, the eyes of Jesus will begin to move the rest of our body towards action as we our filled with compassion and love. I don't know about you, but this is a perspective and vantage point that I long for more and more each day - do you?
There is a story in the Bible where there is a stark contrast between two perspectives. While Jesus is talking with his disciples they listen and begin to picture and imagine something that is familiar and relevant to them. Jesus begins talking to the disciples using present day illustrations that correlate to "worldly" greatness. We know this because Jesus says. "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them." This is something the disciples can see and experience. From their earthly and material vantage point this is exactly what power, greatness, authority, and leadership looked like.
But through the eyes of Jesus it looks completely different. Jesus continues with the disciples by saying. "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." The emphasis of the last verse of this section of Scripture (Matthew 20:20-28) lays in the phrase, just as the Son of Man. It is as if Jesus is looking his disciples squarely in the eyes imploring them to follow his example and way of life - to view life a bit differently, from his vantage point.
Seeing life through the eyes of Jesus will enable us to set aside our own ambitions of greatness and power, allowing us to serve and love those beyond our wildest imaginations. The eyes of Jesus will make us to funnel our time and talents towards those who are not as privileged and blessed as we might be. Ultimately, the eyes of Jesus will begin to move the rest of our body towards action as we our filled with compassion and love. I don't know about you, but this is a perspective and vantage point that I long for more and more each day - do you?
3 comments:
thank you...it was a great encouragement
Very true,though difficult.we need to ask for his grace to get to this point of servant hood because these days everyone is after their own interest.
Very true,though difficult.we need to ask for his grace to get to this point of servant hood because these days everyone is after their own interest.
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