A Matter of Perspective

One Sunday morning I combed my youngest daughter's hair as we readied for church. She wanted to turn to the left but I kept telling her she had to face the mirror. After a few back-and-forths, she finally asked, "Why do I have to face the mirror? I'm too short for you to see me in it."

At her young age, she wasn't tall enough to see herself in the mirror. Since she couldn't see herself, she assumed I couldn't see her as well. She didn't understand that from my higher perspective, I could easily see her blond little head in the mirror

Parenting has the unique ability to make us view our relationship with God in a new way. As I finished her hair that morning, I began wondering something. How often do we think God views our situation the same way my daughter thought I viewed her that morning? How often do we limit God's perspective to only what we can see?

We only see this moment; we limit our perspective to what is right in front of us. We are the little girl staring at the wall and thinking all that exists is blank.

God's not like that though; we insult Him when we think that He is. God looks down from a higher, eternal perspective. His perspective sees not only this moment but the future as well. He knows the possibilities, the plans, and how to make them all work together for good. For Him, doing so is as easy as looking in a mirror.

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:26-28).