“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them,” Ephesians 2:10.

We all look at the world around us with our own particular frame of reference and viewpoint. Some of us see things through the lens of a glass half empty, while others see the glass half full. And yet, these are just two viewpoints; there are probably more than what I could even begin to articulate here in this article.

This idea has caused wise men and philosophers to wrangle with their thoughts for thousands of years. The world around us doesn’t adjust itself to our own perceptions. It remains the same as the seasons come and go, the leaves fall, and the cold winter snows blow.

The tree outside my window doesn’t care if I’m happy or sad; it simply sways in the wind and grows its leaves and looses them as the seasons come and go. But if I’m sad and look outside my window at the tree, then the tree seems to echo my sadness.

It isn’t sad or lonely, or even cheerful; it simply is. When it’s wet and foggy outside, the mountains are veiled in mist, and everything takes on an air of mystery. But my surroundings haven’t taken on a new mood, but simply are viewed differently as the atmosphere around them has changed.

People get up every morning to go to work, and come home every day, and yet as I watch their activity, my viewpoint is probably different than yours. If I see someone standing by the road dressed in shabby clothes and holding up a sign asking for a hand-out, it causes anger in some, and compassion in others.

We all carry with us, our own prejudices and opinions, from a series of experiences that we’ve faced in our lives.

Just as the physical world is its own form separate from our viewpoints, the same can be said about the spiritual world. Even though we cannot see it with our human eyes or hear it, it runs its course emanating from the throne of God. The battle between the forces of darkness and light are happening around us always. And yet, one discerns this activity differently from that of his brothers or sisters.

Even Plato believed in absolute truth but he didn’t believe that anyone would ever be able to discern it. He believed that true forms were the idealized forms of concepts. When we see a particular type of tree and then see yet another one like a walnut, then we can say that both are trees. The only problem with his view of reality is that there is no evidence to support these ideas, even if they make sense.

And yet to contrast this, Aristotle’s view was that only the world that we see with our senses is real. To him there was no ideal world beyond the one we see. His perception of the world told him that nothing else existed beyond what he saw, heard, tasted, smelled, or touched.

And even so, as there are different perceptions of the world around us that are viewed from an unbeliever’s approach, there are a myriad of various perceptions of this world, and the world beyond, from a Christian’s sight. Some view their heavenly Father as a cruel task master that demands good works and deeds from them. These are those who live their lives in fear, always wondering if what they do and how they live, will ever match up to what God expects of them.

Still others view the Father as one that allows them to sin constantly, always knowing that grace abounds to them at every corner and turn. Some as we know, believe that we will be raptured out of this world before the severe trials of the last days come, while others believe that we will go through them. Yet still are those that live alone in reference to God, praying for the needs of others, and thinking of ways that they could show compassion and mercy to them.

They don’t seek riches or fame, but are content where they live in the most modest of circumstances. Even those who are called to leadership, view the world around them differently. Each and every pastor or prophet is as different as each snowflake or rock is from another one. And each of these ones, view the world around them differently, as they seek to live out the life that God has called for them.

We are all different each in our own ways. We are all unique creations in how we react, remember, talk, and think.

Selah,
~ Stephen Hanson

Stephen Hanson of In His Truth Ministries came to the LORD is a special way in 1975 and has prophesied regularly since. In these end-time birthing pangs we are reminded that judgment must first begin with the household of God. Will we be prepared and ready?

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