Sometimes in life, we look back at how silly we were in our thoughts or actions and wish we had been a little more sensible, patient and wiser.
As I was leaving a store with my mom and sister, I saw something disturbing that made me pause. It was a dog caught in between the railings of a window and I instantly felt sympathetic for the poor thing. It had no way out- or atleast that’s what I thought!
I’m sorry but I didn’t have the courage to go and help the dog out of his plight. However, I was too curious to simply walk off either. So, I mustered the courage and walked closer to have a clearer view. I stood there astonished and looked on at the dog and it’s surroundings. I was so wrong, so terribly wrong.
The dog was not in a bad place at all. He was in his master’s living room! He was playing around the railings and once he had a good look at the road outside and all the humans he went back to his own business. He was just getting some fresh air and enjoying his freedom.
I was instantly learning a lesson inside my head. Just a little bit of difference in my view changed the whole story from one of joy to that of despair.
If I hadn’t taken that little extra effort to come a bit closer and look at it, I would have gone home thinking that the dog was in a sad and miserable state. But things were rather going very well for him. He most probably had a loving master and all that he needed inside that house. He was loved and cared for. He was not even locked in a cage but had acces to the master’s house and space to run around and play.
Sometimes, even in life we just need to take a little more effort to look at things from the right perspective and we will be surprised at how silly we were or how wrong we were to rush to a conclusion and make a wrong judgment of the situation. We might feel like we have come close enough and we have seen it all, but just those few more steps and our view will completely change.
Many think alike about born again Christians too. That they are the most boring people on the planet. They have no fun and too many restrictions. But only if you would make an effort to come a little more closer to God and experience for yourself how blessed we are to have this great God by our side through all our highs and yes, most definitely through our lowest times too. There is no difference, everyone has problems, but there is a big difference in this – we have a loving Father by our side and He is Almighty! We have all we need in Him.
Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?
There is a parable that Jesus tells His disciples. It’s about a father and his two sons. ( Luke 15:11-32) The younger one demanded to have his share of the inheritance. So the father gave it to him and soon he left his home to squander all his wealth on “wild living”. He probably thought that it was the most amazing time of his life. But it did not take long for him to realise that money doesn’t stay forever nor does the pleasures of this world. They vanish away like vapour even before we know it. They are temporary. He soon found himself empty and broken. Finally he comes back to his father prepared to plead and ask him to take him back not even as a son but as a servant . But his father’s love for him loked beyond his mistakes and saw his broken and repentant heart and embraced him with arms wide open.
This Christmas, don’t just be satisfied with the sight of the tree and the lights. But come closer to that baby in the crib. He is more than just that helpless looking baby. He is the Saviour of the world, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is God incarnate. And if you believe in Him today then you will be forgiven on account of His sacrifice. You will be saved from your sins and restored to a beautiful and eternal relationship with God. Let’s get a better view of Him this season. Let’s get the right perspective.
A very merry Christmas and a happy new year to you all!
Affirm Truth 