Eternal Perspective

Where Contentment Begins: Having An Eternal Perspective

(Dillow;2007) follows her description of Meredith with a positive
example of contentment. She introduces the idea of having an eternal
perspective.

"What do I mean by perspective? According to Webster's, the term
suggests '"looking through; seeing clearly; the capacity to view
things in their true relation of relative importance." I like to think
of perspective as a way of seeing. An eternal perspective, then, is
God's way of seeing. When we have God's perspective, we view our lives
and evaluate what is important from His viewpoint. That's what Ella
did." (Dillow;2007, p. 12)

This isn't ever the natural response. Certainly we need to know God
in order to have His viewpoint and His perspective, but even believers
struggle with having an eternal perspective. I am so caught up with
the immediate. I am worried about the major projects I have due at
the end of the semester, in four weeks. As deadlines rapidly
approach, the anxiety level increases.

I think of the whole Alexandra Wallace situation and how one three
minute video blog can get a massive response of hate from the Asian
community. I admit I too was offended by her impersonation of Asian
languages and the comments she made about Asian culture. Yet, the
death threats and harassment from viewers was going overboard.
Christians must always respond to events, whether big or small with
God's viewpoint. We see from the angry responses a lack of
forgiveness. The Gospel, the heart of the Bible story is about
forgiveness and reconciliation. It is so hard to live out the Gospel
and it is so difficult to have an eternal perspective.

Going back to Ella's story:

"Along with her husband and children, Ella worked as a missionary with
the pygmies in Africa for fifty-two years. She had left her country,
her family, and all that was familiar. Primitive doesn't begin to
describe her living conditions in the scorching heat and humidity of
the African bush. But Ella found no relief because electricity, air
conditioning, and other modern conveniences were only a dream. Some
days it was so unbearably hot that she had to bring the thermometer
inside because it couldn't register past 120 degrees without
breaking." (Dillow;2007, p. 12)

What a comparison to Meredith who has so much. Also, what a comparison
to those living in the United States and developed nations. We
complain so much about minor conveniences, but what about those in
countries with none of the luxuries we take for granted. Yet, what
was Ella's attitude. How did she do it. A diary explains her
answer:



"discovered Ella's prescription for contentment:

Never allow yourself to complain about anything --- not even the weather.
Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.
Never compare your lot with another's.
Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.
Never dwell on tomorrow — remember that [tomorrow] is God's, not ours.1

Her words overwhelm me; they shame me. How could Ella not complain of
the weather when the perspiration dripped off her. when the stale,
humid air kept her from sleeping? What made her everyday focus so
different from Meredith's? The secret is in Ella's last statement. Her
eyes were fixed on eternity. Her tomorrows belonged to God. She had
given them to Him. And because all her tomorrows were nestled in God's
strong arms, she was free to live today. One day at a time she could
make the right choices and grow to possess the holy habit of
contentment. Ella's focus was eternal, and her focus led to an
internal contentment." (Dillow;2007, p. 13)

This is quite an impressive list. I find myself doing the opposite of
what Ella does. I find this so relevant as I am in New York. I wish
I were someplace else, namely Sacramento. When it was snowing hard
today, I really wish I were back in Sacramento. I worry so much about
tomorrow. I worry about my assignments, if this degree will ever lead
to a job, how the job market will be when I graduate, if there will be
an earthquake that will hit California, and so many other things. I
hold on to regret. I wonder how things would have been if I went to a
different college.

My tomorrows belong to God. What a marvelous truth. I think of the
song, "Because He Lives". In that song it says He holds my future.

One of my favorite passages is from 2 Corinthians:

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is
perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at
the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For
the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not
seen are eternal. (2 Cor 4:16-18)

I love v. 17. God is at work even in those really challenging
circumstances. Our focus must not be on those circumstances, but on
God and on eternity. There are so many spiritual realities underneath
everyday people and events. My prayer from this section is from a
song I heard a couple of years ago.



Give Me Your Eyes


Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight

Touched down on the cold black tar
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breathe in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos

All those people going somewhere
Why have i never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so i can see
Everything that i keep missing
Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the one's forgotten
Give me your eyes so i can see
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide what?s underneath


There?s a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
Too ashamed to tell his wife
He's out of work he's buying time

All those people going somewhere
Why have i never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so i can see
Everything that i keep missing
Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the one's forgotten
Give me your eyes so i can see
Yeah yeah yeah yeah

I've been there a million times
A couple of million eyes just moving past me by
I swear i never thought that i was wrong

Well i want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so i can see
Everything that i keep missing
Give me your love for humanity

Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the one's forgotten
Give me your eyes so i can see

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so i can see
Everything that i keep missing
That i keep missing

Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach?
Give me your heart for the one's forgotten
Give me your eyes so i can see
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah