I’m fascinated by perspective. It’s amazing how two people can look at the same thing, yet see something totally different. Like the picture that was floating around social media of the two people kissing, or was it a champagne flute? Depending on your perspective, it was one of the two. Jesus is a lot like that picture. Insert his name and you will likely hear some wildly different perspectives.
I’ve been reading the gospel of Matthew and in chapter 9:33-34 Matthew says that there were some people who responded to the signs and wonders performed by Jesus saying, “nothing like this has been seen in Israel.” The reaction of another group of people, the scribes and Pharisees, was totally different, “it is by the prince of demons he casts out demons.” Two groups of people witnessing the same events, yet they interpreted them in radically different ways. How does that happen?
How is it possible for people to not recognize Jesus as the Son of God after demonstrating His power in such an obvious manner? Here’s a thought. They were hard hearted. They were so set in their ways that their many opinions had become petrified into stone. In short, they became opinionated. This blinded them from seeing Jesus for who he was. Their minds were already made up and nothing was going to change that.
On another occasion, Jesus explains to his disciples why he speaks to the people using parables in Matthew 13. He explains that the people have eyes to see, but they can’t see; they have ears to hear, but they cannot hear. In other words, I can’t come through the front door because they won’t even let me in. I have to sneak in the back door, infiltrate their hearts and wake them up to reality. In his effort to communicate truth to hard hearted people, Jesus understood that the left side of the brain would reject new ideas before they could enter the mind to be considered at all. Jesus gained access by appealing to the right side of the brain.
It’s comforting to know that even though we are often hard hearted and opinionated, Jesus doesn’t give up on trying to get through to us. He simply finds another way to break through. But is there a way we can posture ourselves in order to make it a little easier for him to get through?
I was reminded recently by a wise friend that we are of first and foremost called to be disciples. A disciple is a learner. A disciple is humble because he/she is still in process. Above all, a disciple is formulating opinions, but holds those things loosely because a disciple sees in part in hopes of the day when a more complete picture is revealed. If you are having difficulty seeing things from a different perspective today, then remember to be humble, to listen, and to be willing to learn. Be a disciple.