new glasses

In 1896, a psychologist by the name of George Stratton did an experiment on vision and the images our retina detects.  He wore glasses for 3 days that caused him to see the world upside down.  Although at first he had difficulty navigating his new perspective, over time things began to change.  Eventually, he was able to see things "right side up," as he had seen them before wearing the glasses.  Soon enough, his vision had adapted and he was able to perceive things normally.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about "perspective" and it's fluctuating nature.  Studies like these only confirm the fact that we are an adaptive species.  This has been proven in our physical vision, and I would go so far to say that it applies to our "spiritual vision" as well.

How often have we had a spiritual encounter and a "life changing experience" only to find ourselves back in the same spot engaging in the same lifestyle or behaviors a few weeks (or days) later?  Our spiritual selves begin to adapt to this newness and without further adaptations, it begins to swing back to "normalcy" or baseline.

Yet, the truth is, as Christians, our vision has truly changed.  We no longer perceive the world through the same set of lenses as we used prior to our encounters with Christ.  However, every single day we are bombarded with stimuli and messages that counteract our new perception.  The old way of viewing things is in competition with our new perception.  So, how do we keep ourselves from reverting back to our old way of seeing things?

Part of it comes with remembering our new way of thinking/perceiving.  Since we have adapted to this new perception, it becomes difficult to be actively aware of it.  Just like Stratton got used to his new lenses over time, our new lenses can get comfortable.  We have to remind ourselves of what life is like through our "new" perspective:  what did things look like BEFORE we put on the new perspective, how have things changed now that we have this new vision in our lives?

We also have to constantly sort through what is the "real" perspective and what is the false one.  Every single day we are told to perceive things a certain way according to the culture around us.  However, is that the TRUE lens?  Or, like Neo in the Matrix, are we engaging in a world that has deceived us and the true world (or kingdom) is beyond what we can actually see in front of us?

If we look back in biblical history, the Israelites faced the same struggle. When God initially gave them the commandments (a new way of living and perceiving things), He not only gave them the "new lens" but also gave them guidelines as to how to keep this perspective at the front of their minds:

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers...be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery."  Deuteronomy 6: 6-12  

God knew the human capacity to strive for equilibrium and to lose perspective.  The Israelites were in danger of the same things we are susceptible to today.  If we learn anything from them, we recognize the importance of remembrance.

So, as we live in this world as aliens and strangers, walking around with the lenses of another perspective, may we continue to fight the pull of adaptation.  The perspective of the world is all around us and try as we might, we can't completely rid ourselves of its influence.  But what we CAN do is walk in the ways of the new perspective and call to mind the moments of gratitude for the new vision we have been given.

a lesson in perspective (from Jesus' family drama)

In case you were wondering, Jesus had family drama too...And it all starts with a mob and a rambunctious crowd.  

In Mark chapter 3, Mark mentions some actions of the crowd that is following Jesus.  The people with "diseases were pushing forward to touch him (v.10)," "many people came (v.7)," "a crowd was sitting around him (v.32)," and in verse 20 "again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat."  If you can imagine, the popularity of Christ is growing so much so that Jesus can't even get a chance to grab some food!  The crowds are pressing in on his every step to the point that Jesus had to go up on a mountainside to have enough privacy to appoint his disciples (v.13-14).

In the midst of all of this craziness, there's a very interesting piece about Jesus' family.  See the verses below:

"Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.  When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." (v.20-21)

"Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived.  Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.  A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."  "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.  Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!  Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."  (v. 31-35)

I always read the last set of verses and felt a little perplexed.  It seems to come across as a little rude.  It seems as if Jesus's family stopped by to pay him a visit and then he turns around and disowns them.  However, if you look at the previous verses, you can find the connection.  "When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, 'He is out of his mind.'" 

Imagine it. Here is Jesus.  His ministry is just getting off the ground.  People are starting to hear about his miraculous abilities and they are flocking to him for healing.  Just within the first two chapters of Mark he's already healed a demon possessed man, a man with leprosy, a paralytic, Peter's mother-in-law, and "many who had various diseases."  Needless to say, he's been a little busy.

Soon enough, the population in the area begins to find out and make their way to him.  The crowds begin to grow in intensity.  Jesus begins to have to distance himself from them in order to have time with his disciples.  Then, it gets to the point where he can't even find time to eat.

His family begins to think he's crazy.

They think their Son, Brother, Cousin, is crazy.

How can this be?  Don't they realize WHO he is and what sort of life he was meant to lead?

But surely, not Mary.  Of all people to understand, it would have to be her.  30 years prior, she was approached by an angel as a young betrothed woman.  (See Luke 1: 26-28)  This angel began to tell her that she was "highly favored" and that she had "found favor with God."  God chose her to carry the "Son of the Most High God" who will "reign over the house of Jacob forever" and whose "kingdom will never end."  She would be the mother to the Messiah.

Yet, here she is knocking at the door, thinking her Son was "out of his mind."  Was it a mother's concern over the fact that he wasn't eating?  Was she worried that he was living too much of a fast-paced life and should go back to carpentry?  Did she remember his lingering at the temple when he was younger and think that he had once again gotten too wrapped up in things?  Did she ever doubt that the miracles were actually real?  What had happened in those 30 years to change her perspective?

Here is this woman who is revered by many as the mother of Christ.  She had a literal angel appear to her, informing her of the divine nature of her Son.  She was a recipient of a miraculous event herself.  And yet, she still doubted.  She still lost perspective.

Mary had perhaps gotten so caught up in the day-to-day life of raising the Messiah, that she forgot what was actually going on.  Maybe she lost sight of her heavenly encounter all those many years ago.  Maybe all the diapers, schooling, feeding, and mothering had gotten in the way of the vision she had of God's plan.  Perhaps she couldn't see the bigger picture of God's kingdom for the simple fact she was too focused on what was directly in front of her.

This was such a stark reminder to me.  If this woman can fail at "getting it,"  how much more can I?  I who have never had an encounter with an angel.  I who have never had Magi travel from foreign lands to lay offerings at the feet of my Son.  I who never raised a child who was perfect and blameless.  How much more can I lose perspective on this amazing thing that's right in front of me...yet sooo much bigger than I can possibly imagine?

So, may this be a reminder to all of us.  May we not get so caught up in what's right in front of us that we miss the bigger picture.  May the day-to-day mundane not keep us from seeing the heavenly perspective.  And most importantly, may the "this is the way it should be's" not keep us from seeing that God could be doing something so amazingly huge and dynamic, even though it may come in a form that we least expect it.