A Matter of Perspective

Many years ago, while I was Pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Shady Hills, I learned a very valuable lesson in perspective.  We had a very large pine tree in the back of our property that was perilously close to our football field.  When the tree was cut down the trunk of the tree was carried away by someone who had a use for some pine wood.  The stump and limbs were left behind for us to dispose.  Our area of central Florida had been experiencing a drought and the ground was extremely dry.

After a number of weeks, the stump and the limbs had not been removed and I became impatient.  One afternoon I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I decided that I could get rid of the limbs and stump at one time by burning them.  I piled the limbs on top of the stump and set fire to the pine needles on the limbs.  The fire spread rapidly through the pile of brush and soon I had flames that were ascending at least one hundred feet, and then the grass around the pile ignited.  At that moment, I realized that I was in a precarious position.

I was at the back of a five acre property with no water and only had a shovel to contend with a raging fire that was rapidly turning into a brush fire that was spreading toward a wooded area next door.  While frantically trying to beat out the spreading fire I saw two girls near our classrooms.  I began to yell to Kim and Melanie for "Water!  Need Water!".  I was relieved to see them run toward the office, and I was confident that help was on the way.  I continue to run around the raging inferno with my shovel trying to beat back the fire from the dry grass and brush, but I knew help was coming.  Suddenly I heard the voice of a little girl saying "Here, preacher", and I turned to see them standing there smiling holding a styrofoam cup of water for their thirsty pastor.

Fortunately, I was able to stop the fire before it got to the wooded area, but I learned a great lesson about perspective that day.  They thought they were doing exactly what I wanted, but it wasn't what I thought I needed at the moment.

How often do we miss God's perspective and plan due to our lack of spiritual perspective?  Moses saw a burning bush and thought it to be an oddity for examination, but God spoke from that fire.  Samuel saw a mere shepherd lad, but God saw David as the future king of Israel.  The world saw a motley crew of fishermen and other misfits, but Jesus called these men to follow Him and they became the Apostles.  Too often we are prone to trust our own reasoning rather than the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible reveals the folly of trusting our own insights, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (I Cor.13:12), The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jer.17:9)"

At best, we can not see the way ahead of us clearly.  At worst, our hearts can easily deceive us and lead us astray.  We need to be constantly influenced by the truths of God's Word coupled with the leadership of the Holy Spirit if we are to walk in wisdom.

We can not expect a lost world to grasp the plans and purposes of God.  It is our duty to walk in wisdom in the midst of the world as we share the Gospel.  To do that well, we need God's perspective.  May God help us to put on the mind of Christ!