Summer 1985
Perspective
John Wright Follette

Jesus has many names. While He was here on earth, He often referred to Himself as “The Son of Man.” As I studied this, it gave me a new perspective in my vision of Him.

Sometimes things need to be examined very closely. Other times we lose our perspective when we get too close to them. We can be right in the mountains and not see their beauty or breadth. But, if we go a distance from them, there is an impact on our senses of their majesty and expanse that can not be seen or felt when we are living right in them.

We must have perspective. We need it for our thinking and for our approach to God. We often become too involved in our own individual problems or interests. It is only when we get away from ourselves that we can begin to see and understand why the Lord has to do with us as He does.

A lack of perspective makes us self-centered and out of balance emotionally. I was caught in such a jam once. When the Lord pulled me out of it, He said, “You lost your perspective. Don’t’ stay so close to your problems. When you are as close to them as you were, all sense of value and purpose is lost because there is nothing to contrast them with. That’s fatal. Now, trust me and review your circumstances from the place where I have set you.”

It is rather daring to get out of ourselves for a minute. We often become so self-centered that we do not realize how self-centered we have become until it begins to dislodge our thinking and vision of what the Lord is doing in our lives. Then He said to me, “Now, do you see how it is?” I answered, “Yes Lord, I do now.”

It is important to be able to make a good judgment, to look at things objectively, and to not become so personally involved in a situation that we miss its’ real purpose. This is a difficulty we have as Christians. We want to serve and please the Lord. Then we lose our perspective and begin to look at ourselves more than we ought to in our efforts to measure up to what we desire to be in Him.

There are times when He will deliver us from the bondage and bindings of self-centeredness. He will not build an edifice on a wrong foundation. We need to trust the Lord when He comes to us to examine our life and progress in His purposes. We need to say, “Lord, whatever you see or need to do is alright. As far as I am able to receive, reveal my need to me. And if it hurts, it’s alright. I know you will bring me through.”

We can trust Him with the most sacred items in our heart. We can trust Him in every area of our lives. And He wants us to. But, if we are evasive or fearful, He will not be able to help us through. We have to be daring and say, “Here it is Lord, all of me.” And then let Him work. We will never be sorry that we did, as He brings us into a new place of perspective and vision.