Many think a change in perspective is a good thing. I would tend to agree. But I also have a problem with perspective in that for most it is very short lived. Take the Boston Marathon tragedy from this weekend, or any tragedy for that matter. The typical response when encountering such violent and cowardly acts is to respond in a manner that fits the act. In this instance we all responded appropriately with anger, frustration, sadness, and a sickness in our stomach we just couldn’t shake. Our hearts genuinely ache at the thought of what happened yesterday, what happened at Sandy Hook, what happened at 9/11, Virginia Tech, Colorado, and countless other senseless acts that destroy the fabric of families and the faith of humanity.
What I would want, what I dream would happen, is not a short lived change in perspective that for a night or two motivates us to hug our children a little tighter and forget the small life dramas that really don’t compare to the tragedies. What I want is a permanent change in perspective. A short lived change is empowered by the immediate circumstances that surround us. It’s not that they’re bad, it’s just that they don’t last. Ironically, what I want simply mirrors what Jesus wants for us. He desires a permanent perspective change that takes the focus off of our temporary and puts it properly on the eternal. He desires that we no longer esteem ourselves higher than another, but become servants of all, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve , and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28)
Please know, short lived perspective change is good, but permanent perspective change should be the desire of everyone. That God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. (2 Corinthians 5:19). God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
May the desire for change that we feel today be permanent. Thankfully, Jesus’ sacrifice was not short lived but permanently redeeming.