Saturday Devotional

A Clear Perspective

I finally got out for a walk today. Though there was plenty of sunshine, evidence of winter still lingered as I walked past a field. Well I guess you could say it was more of an empty lot. At one time, plans were in the works to make this area into a park or school or both. As I hurried by on a path that ran parallel to it, I hardly turned to look at the emptiness beside me. When I did, my vantage point was from an upper angle, for the path was elevated. All it looked like to me was dark brown, almost black patches of dirt with pale brown weeds overgrowing the wasteland.

Zigzagging through neighborhoods, I found myself on the opposite side of this piece of real estate. This time, the sidewalk was at a lower level and my eyes were slightly above the horizon of what I at first deemed a hopeless chunk of earth. The next thing I knew, dozens of upon dozens of little heads were popping up and quickly disappearing everywhere. As far as the land stretched, critters had made it their home, playground, or both. It even made me giggle, and I actually stopped to marvel for a few minutes at the life contained in this place shouting, “Look at me!” In fact, not only was the field dancing with squirrels, jack-rabbits, and the like, but it was covered with wild flowers waving at me through the breeze as well as bees buzzing all around them. I wondered how in the world could I have missed such beauty.

Was it the angle, the sun rays causing it to look hazy, or was the light of sunshine that we haven’t seen much of lately actually blinding me? Whatever it was, I missed what was really there until I was able to look at it from another perspective. As I continued my walk, I wondered how often we do that to certain situations in our lives. Just yesterday, my husband learned that a couple we know is getting a divorce. I wonder if they need to look at things from another perspective. I’m reminded of a loved one who recently chose to get an abortion. I understood that from her perspective, it was the only choice, however….

Sometimes, just speaking to others before making a decision to write off a situation as hopeless can bring so much insight. Of course, seeking God’s guidance can give us a vantage point that not one of us has. And although, many feel that God is silent in uncertain times, the truth is He uses everything around us to speak to us…like the thriving habitat that I wrote off as a wasteland.

Are you finding yourself needing to make a difficult choice or some sort of a judgment call in a blurry situation? Did you just get the news from the doctor? Still haven’t landed that job? Maybe you’re so close that the light is blinding you. You may think that it’s nothing but a wasteland of dirt and weeds, but as the song goes, God can make beautiful things out of dust and out of us. Seek Him first before dismissing it as hopeless. Seek others who can give you a different perspective. Don’t let the life and beauty that’s ready to thrive slip from your fingers just because of a bad angle.

Amie Spruiell 3/23/12