Day 9 - perspective

I've had a great week - its been one of those weeks when you dont meet anyone for a coffee and a catch up for months and then four people turn up in a row !   I caught up with two friends I havent seen for a while, went with another to the most amazing angel exhibition in a local church and was out with a regular 'breakfast pal' on Saturday.   All very good and nice and not really sticking to the diet ( when they ply you with mince pies and buns its just rude to say no isnt it?)

All of these conversations have involved catching up with news, finding out about people's plans, asking about family and friends in common and listening to a bit of ' offloading' about stresses and strains of life and work and relationships.  Standard stuff and we all need those places to meet and chat and share.

But during the course of one of those conversations someone said something which directly contradicted something that had been said in a different conversation.   I got ' the other side of the story',  from a different perspective - and for some reason it has put me in a bit of a spin.  I have been thinking about it today and wondering why Im feeling so.... discombobulated.  And I think part of the reason is that I realise that Im not terribly discerning.  When I listen to someone telling me about a situation I tend to take what they say on face value.  And of course that's all well and good because my friends don't lie.  I should accept what they tell me because it is how they see it and they are telling me because they want my advice, comment, reassurance, sympathy, ideas, whatever it might be.

But one person's perspective is just that.  Their perspective.  And my perspective on what they have just told me is just another opinion or point of view.  Points of view aren't wrong.  People dont lie about how they feel about their experineces.  But none of us ever have the full story about anything.  only God has that.

Which is why it is SO important not to leap to conclusions, or to judgement when we hear things which are ' opinions', ' perspective' ' point of view'.  Because someone else who was there experiencing the same thing might have interpreted events very differently.  I definitely need to learn to listen with discernment.

If we ever needed to understand that, it is at this moment in the week before a general election.  People are bandying about statistics and figures and promises and they all genuinely believe what they are saying and tell us they are right and everyone else is wrong.  The temptation is to roll the eyeballs and chuck the lot in the bin.  I must admit I have said on more than one occasion over the past weeks and to more than one person that I dont trust any of the politicians and dont believe that any of them will do any of what they are promising if they win.

But yesterday in church I looked across the room and saw one of our local politicians.  He had come with his wife and small baby.  He was sitting at the back trying to be incognito.  I watched during worship as he sang heartily with his hands raised high and nothing in me could deny that here was a bloke, just like any other bloke in church, trying to connect with his Maker, wanting to bring himself before his Father and live under His rule.  I might not agree with his politics or vote for his party.  But I can't deny that he is a brother.  And as such that I should love him regardless of our different points of view.

Over these past Brexit years there has been a huge focus on the things that divide us.  As the church it is vital that we focus on what unites us.  Jesus.  His birth and death and resurrection.  We can disagree with each other till the cows come home about why someone did or said that, why church is run this or that way, who should or shouldnt be behaving in this or that way.  And we will never agree,   Because if we are all standing under our own umbrellas looking out at each other and seeing all each other's faults..... well.... we will be lonely and friendless.    But what if we moved out from under our umbrellas to dance in the rain together?  What if we all turned our faces to heaven to get wet and all agreed that rain is good and dancing is fun? There are more important things than the stuff that annoys us about each other and more that unites us than divides us.

Pray for our politicians this week.  Especially my Northern Ireland friends pray for politicians here.  So many of them love Jesus and are putting their lives, reputations, friendships, money and family life on the line to stand for things they passionately believe.  All of them are doing it for the betterment of society and the common good.  Some of them are doing it as a direct response to the call of Jesus ( testimony of a different politician in our church a couple of weeks ago)  And let's remember it is God who sets up and tears down governments.  He knows what He is doing. 
 Look up.  
Get wet.  
Dance.