Perspective Can Make All the Difference
As Ray and I drove home from church on Sunday evening, a small rainbow reached down from billowy clouds to touch a pretty Tennessee hill. The rainbow seemed to be very close by. Of course, I wanted a picture, so I asked Ray if he would pull into a nearby park. However, the combination of our curvy roads and the many pretty Tennessee hills made it hard to identify exactly where the rainbow was. When we reached the park, we could see that the rainbow was farther away. We drove in its direction.
To our surprise and delight, we discovered that the rainbow was over Roaring River and that it was reflected in the river. We stopped on the quiet bridge for pictures.
I walked across the bridge where I saw this view on the other side.
God continued to add beautiful colors to the sky on our way home . . .
. . . and when we reached our yard.
Again the sky looked quite different, . . .
. . . depending . . .
. . . on which direction I looked.
Ten years ago a friend of ours applied for a high profile position she wanted very much. We remember how devastated she was when the position went to another candidate. Ray and I recently had a fascinating conversation with her about the position she took instead. She told us that she was much more suited for the job she has than she was for the one she had wanted so badly ten years ago. Though I knew she had enjoyed her work over the last ten years, I was quite surprised to learn that she now knew it was a better fit for her.
The two perspectives . . .
. . . from the same bridge . . .
. . . that I just shared with you illustrate what has happened in the life of our friend. I had two perspectives on the bridge; I was looking in two different directions. Our friend also has two perspectives; now she can look in two directions. Ten years ago, she was sad about an opportunity lost while she looked ahead into an unknown future. Today she can look back at those now known ten years and be grateful.
Oh, the depth of the riches,Â
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His judgments
and unfathomable His ways!Â
For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who became His counselor?Â
Or who has first given to Him,Â
that it would be paid back to him?Â
For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.
To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
Romans 11:33-35