Adopting Eternal Perspective
In a society ruled by relativism, we have the choice to put our faith in the absolute, unwavering truth that is Jesus Christ — a constant we can always depend on. CCA’s Early Childhood Director Jan Lashbrook shares how being intimately acquainted with the Truth keeps our eyes fixed on heaven, influencing our actions and attitudes.
Perspective. We all have one, and it is our truth.
Joni Eareckson Tada once said, “Perspective is everything when you are experiencing the challenges of life.” And she should know. A simple dive into the water at 17 years of age left her paralyzed from the neck down and confined to a wheelchair for life. But she has used her disability for God’s glory over the years, helping so many others who have faced similar challenges.
A truly correct perspective — an eternal perspective — has to be based on knowing Truth and being intimately acquainted with the Giver of Truth.
Her perspective changed after her accident in that she no longer worried about “the little things.” She was determined to set her focus on what God wanted to teach her through her difficult circumstances and is still using her voice to help others gain a new perspective until God calls her home.
Our perspective is shaped by our beliefs and life experiences, and it drives the way we think, feel, and respond to situations. Something as small as a penny will hide the biggest star in the universe if you hold it close enough to your eye. That penny held close could change our perspective as to the size of the moon, but that doesn’t make it reality. A truly correct perspective — an eternal perspective — has to be based on knowing Truth and being intimately acquainted with the Giver of Truth.
an eternal perspective not only changes our actions, but also our attitudes.
Randy Alcorn writes, “Having an eternal perspective is in many ways the key to living a true Christ-following life.” He goes on to say that an eternal perspective not only changes our actions, but also our attitudes. Life is not always easy. We can get distracted and depressed by the negative situations in our lives and sometimes react based on what we see in front of us, rather than the big picture of God’s plan for us and the world.
I see this truth in my own life. When I am not daily abiding in God’s Word, I can easily develop a warped perspective and react based on wrong feelings and attitudes. Yet, when I take time to absorb the truth God has laid out in His Word for me daily, I allow God’s perspective to infiltrate my mind and heart, and that not only yields a peace in my relationships, but a true understanding of what is going on in the world. And that understanding keeps my heart from being fearful and discouraged, because we know who wins in the end (hint: It’s NOT Satan!).
God is asking us to look beyond what we think we know and gain that eternal perspective He freely gives
Corrie Ten Boom once said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look to God, you’ll be at rest.” We tend to focus on the things we can see and feel here on earth, but God is asking us to look beyond what we think we know and gain that eternal perspective He freely gives when we allow Him to penetrate our fleshly thoughts and feelings and replace them with His perfect peace and perspective.
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” —2 Corinthians 4:18
References:
Randy Alcorn: Why an Eternal Perspective Changes Everything.
Randy Alcorn: Why an Eternal Perspective Changes Everything.
Jan Lashbrook is the Early Childhood Director at Calvary Christian Academy overseeing our Pre-K and Preschool programs. Jan holds a Masters in Early Childhood Education from Liberty University. She and her husband are “empty-nesters,” having raised three children who are all grown and married. Their youngest, Shawn, attended CCA for 12 years, graduating in 2012.
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