Skip to main content

Wide Angle

I recently went through a series of courses on an approach to life. It was a way of thinking and communicating. One of the concepts that stuck with me was about perspective.  

We all have a view of the world around us. Many times it is focused on the things that make an immediate impact to us. Our jobs, or families, the bills we have to pay, that guy that just cut us off. These things take center stage. We place ourselves at the center with this lense. It is narrow and hyper-focused.

Many times when I drove to work I'd arrive at a particular intersection. More often than not, I was focused on getting through the light or simply focused on the car in front of me. My lense was specific and narrow. I was so intent, I couldn't see the beautiful blue sky or the trees that I had seen grow from saplings to mature shade trees. Beyond my narrow angle was a wide angle lens filled with God's beauty and joy.  

Shift your perspective and take a wide angle view. You no longer get lost in the minutiae of the day but now blown away by the glory of God's creation. It won’t take our problems and challenges away, but it sure shifts perspective. Joy has a way of washing over us with a wide angle lens. 

Psalm 96 11-12 says, "Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy."

All of God's creation was built for beauty and joy. Don’t miss it with a narrow lens. We have made for more. Zoom out and get a better view. God's beauty and joy is on full display through His creation. 

Be blessed and be a blessing
Matt

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions.  It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them.  The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold.  He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold.  When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do the Work

Sometimes I sit down to write and it just seems like I am trying to write with a pen without ink. There is simply nothing productive coming from the activity. Other times, God just pours it out on me. The ideas flow and the message comes together with ease. More often than not it's the former rather than the latter. It seems God likes to make us work for it. The ones I have to work a bit harder on become the ones I like the most. I think we appreciate the things we have to work for more than the things that come easy. Our LifeGroup recently read about the Miraculous Catch of Fish. You know the story where Peter and his buddies have been out fishing all night and came back to shore completely empty handed. That next morning, Jesus asks them to take him out in the boat. Once out on the water, He has them put the nets back down and they bring in loads and loads of fish. So many fish that two boats almost sank.  I guess Jesus could have just made the fish jump into th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Anchor House Week 4: Strawberries

This week I had the chance to come through on a promise I made to one of our regular ships. When they were in port last we were hanging out in the break room with the crew. Somehow we got on the subject of strawberries, Florida strawberries of course. I made the bold statement that Florida strawberries were the best. Trish followed up by clarifying that Plant City’s are the best. She had a point that is hard to argue with. In the discussion, I told the seafarer that I would bring them some strawberries next time they were at Port Manatee. Sure enough the next time they were in port I ran to Detweillers, first thing in the morning, and picked up a half of a flat of some of the most beautiful strawberries you've ever seen. They were big, red, perfectly placed in the container in a neat and orderly fashion. They looked magnificent. As we approached the ship, the seafarer whom I had made the promise to waved and said, “You remembered!” After we boarded the ship, we t...
Post a Comment
Read more