A new Pair of Glasses
Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Romans 12:1
My dad went through a grueling battle with cancer and Alzheimer's disease. It was very hard to watch this strong, passionate, independent man be reduced to one who was confused and vulnerable. We found that we had to find humor where we could to cope with the situation. There were funny things that happened, too. He loved Braum's ice cream, and wanted my sister to bring some every time she came to see him. To save money, she bought a ½ gallon carton. She brought him some in a Styrofoam cup and he declared that it was not nearly as good as Braum's ice cream. He would not believe that it was Braum's, so she went to the car and got a Braum's cup. She washed it out and put the ice cream into it. When he tasted it, he said, “Now, this is the good stuff. It's way better than what you brought me before.”
Dad, like so many Alzheimer's patients, did not feel that he was confused. He desperately wanted to go back to work. He was telling me about a test that the doctor had done, apparently to check for cognitive loss. He said that he didn't do that well on the test and the doctor had said he was concerned. Dad insisted that the reason he had not done well on the test was that he could not see the questions very well. He stated that he was going to get new glasses in a few weeks and then he would be fine. He would be able to go back to work then.
When Dad told me this, I just shook my head and laughed. Then I thought about what he said. How many times in life do we just need a new perspective, “a new pair of glasses”, to get us through a situation? It is so easy to complain about the way life is. We see the co-worker who is difficult rather than the blessing of having a job. We see the amazing amount of food that teenagers eat and miss the
blessing of having teens who are home to eat it. We see the spouse who has to be asked more than once to take out the trash and miss the blessing of having a spouse who for all their faults has been faithful and loving.
Proverbs has a lot to say about our perspective in life. For instance, chapter 15 and verse 16 tells us, Better is a little with contentment than great feasting with strife. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shows us things that are out of perspective. The beatitudes show us that what we think of as bad, being meek, mourning, or being persecuted, are actually things that will give us blessings. Later he chastises the Pharisees for tithing mint, dill and cumin, while neglecting the weighty matters of the law, such as love and mercy.
Christian life requires a new perspective, or a new pair of glasses. The things we are asked to do don't make sense to our natural minds. Where is the logic in being the greatest by serving others, or in praying for those who persecute us? Romans 12 tell us that we must not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. If you are struggling with a situation, ask God to show you how he sees it. Also, when we talk to each other, let's practice looking for the blessings and not complaining. You never know what you will find.
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