Developing a Heavenly Perspective

Have you ever wondered what God thinks of all the things happening around us? Perhaps that’s an impossible question to even ponder, but I disagree. God has revealed a glimpse of His perspective to us in His word. An amazing thing happens when we absorb God’s word into our hearts. That little glimpse of God’s perspective begins to merge with our own. Our core values come more in alignment with His, leading us to interpret our world in a new way. What was once mundane becomes profound. The negative story we tell ourselves is replaced with a desire to understand. The hardships of life are a constant reminder of the true life to come. As Paul says in Romans 12:2, our minds have been renewed. 

So what does it look like to have a heavenly perspective? Let’s start with something simple, a sunrise. What do you see when the sun rises? Some may see the effect of our great spinning orb. Others may see the drudgery of another day. Yet others may not notice at all. The heavenly perspective could go something like this: the light breaking through the darkness reminds us of God’s first act of creation, the good light He created to thwart chaos. Jesus identified Himself as that light to redeem us and shine the light of goodness into our darkened hearts. So when the sun casts the long shadows of morning, I am reminded that God has cast light upon this day so that Jesus’ light might shine through me to others.

It’s very easy to look at someone and feel like you know everything you need to know about that person before ever interacting with them. Often we make the decision whether to like or dislike, to engage or avoid, to agree or disagree based upon a glance, a label or a broad reputation. What’s God’s perspective on the situation? He knows the person. He made that person! He knows the human, the history, the heart and the hurt. We don’t, that is, until we do. The only way to gain that perspective is to love the person before we apply our filters. That’s what Jesus did. We wouldn’t have the Gospel of Matthew if Jesus hadn’t seen the dedicated disciple deep within the detestable tax collector. The redemption stories are numerous. What’s yours?

What about the carnage and death we see around us, and if we’re honest, within us? What’s the heavenly perspective when we can’t catch a break, when evil wins and when striving for good seems futile? It’s important to always remember that God made this world and everyone in it to be good. It grieves the heart of God to see us using the freedom He gave us for selfishness. Every thoughtless or inconsiderate act further breaks an already broken world, plunging us deeper into chaos. Part of the reason Jesus says we are blessed when we mourn is because it links us to the heart of God as He mourns the beauty that is lost. It’s easy to jump quickly to frustration, worry or anger. First, just take a moment to grieve the good that is lost, the many who are deceived and the repercussions for generations to come.

This isn’t the only godly perspective on evil and death. God also has a solution and his name is Jesus. Jesus’ death and resurrection turns the tables on the brokenness and reassembles us from the inside out. All who believe are restored to righteousness in the eyes of God and accepted into the eternal paradise. This is our hope and the hope of the world. What an awesome perspective! We do not grieve as those who have no hope!

So, let’s get a head start on eternity and train ourselves to have a heavenly perspective right now. Listen to Jesus. Absorb God’s word. Hang out with God’s people. Practice your new perspective! See the world more like the God who made it and redeemed it through Jesus.