Gaining Perspective

Every year when my husband would put up the Christmas lights, I would stand outside and give "advice" on how to better place the lights to my higher standards, until four years ago when he had an unexpected heart attack, making it entirely impossible for my husband to put up the lights that year.  And because I wanted Christmas lights so badly, I made the journey up onto our high pitched roof and attempted to put up the Christmas lights myself; just the way I thought they should be done.  I soon realized that putting up Christmas lights on our house was not only entirely terrifying, but placing the Christmas lights on all the gables, just like I liked it, was really more like a death wish.  I recognized in probably less than thirty seconds, just how many times my husband had put his life on the line just to please his ridiculous, persnickety wife, not to mention, just how physically taxing it was to do the job in the first place. 

Photo courtesy of Paul Clifford Bannister via Flickr

This experience has left me wondering how many times we judge the perceived faults of others without adequate perspective.  The character Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's Novel, To Kill a Mockingbird says something very wise, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."  Isn't it important to reserve judgment until we've done just that?

Dave Barry has said something amusing but very insightful, “There's nothing wrong with enjoying looking at the surface of the ocean itself, except that when you finally see what goes on underwater, you realize that you've been missing the whole point of the ocean. Staying on the surface all the time is like going to the circus and staring at the outside of the tent.” 

How often do we stand there looking outward, instead of inward when it comes to being reproving of others?  We never really do know what others are going through until we've walked a mile in their shoes, right?  And I think the Lord would encourage us to even go that extra mile in trying to gain a greater perspective.  After all, how often are we "missing the whole point" by only seeing what is obvious and on the surface? 

I heard a profound quote recently:  "Our days our happier when we give people a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind."  Isn't that true?  Shouldn't we give love before judgment, at least until we have a real understanding of what that person is going through?  Isn't that the Lord's way?

Now that the time has come again to put up those Christmas lights in celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace, my heart warms toward my husband like it has for the past three years.  With my perspective forever changed, I'll never again stand outside giving "advice."  Instead I'll be ready with a mug of steaming hot chocolate and a grateful heart for a loving husband who is happy to take care of that tough job for me.