11 July 2011

the reality about perception ...

Hope your week is off to a great start! 
 
I had an awesome time at church yesterday –   
Our executive pastor spoke on the topic of ‘The Truth About Lying’. It was great and offered some good insight and practical pointers on why honesty is so vital. 
 
He talked about how we reflect the character and nature of God when we are honest,  And how we reflect the character and nature of satan when we lie.  He then went on to talk about the fact that God cannot lie,  He is truth and therefore everything He says is accurate – no matter what lie life happens to be handing us at the moment.
 
It was one of those sermons on ‘basic information’ –   
But it was so impactful because it is often the simple things that get overlooked. And he said something else that I wanted to touch base with all of you about:  ‘God is not concerned about His image, He is concerned about His character.’ 
 
Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘Perception is reality’? 
 
Practically, we all know that is not a correct statement: 
If I am color-blind, and I perceive that the blue couch is green –   It does not make the couch the green. My perception is not reality. 
 
Likewise, from a spiritual standpoint, we must take care,  to ensure that we are not buying into the lie of this cliché statement.  Perception is not reality. 
 
If I perceive that God is not caring, I need only go to the ‘standard’, the truth of His Word where I find: ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …’ Jn. 3:16 The reality is that He loves me. 
 
If I perceive that my situation is impossible, I can turn the pages of my Bible and refer to the reality of the Word which reminds me:  With man it is impossible, but not with God; with God all things are possible.’ Mk.10:27  The reality is that He is able to handle anything and everything.
 
If I perceive that I am all alone in my journey, that perception is overshadowed by the truth of God’s Word which conveys the reality:  He will never leave me nor forsake me [not utterly and completely abandoning me]. Heb. 13:5  The reality is He is present, He is Omnipresent, He cannot be absent from life or my situation.
 
So what does this have to do with God being concerned about His character over His image? 
 
He is not concerned with who we think He is. 
He only concerns Himself with who He actually is. 
 
As such, He will often allow circumstances which seem to completely contradict who He is and what He said. He allows situations which would constitute a public relations nightmare.   
 
He will allow the job and finances to fail –   
But He still proclaims that He is Jehovah-Jireh, the LORD who provides. 
 
He will permit the illness to occur and persist –   
Yet He still boldly declares Himself to be Jehovah- Rophi, the LORD who heals.
 
He will allow you to face situations of homelessness –   
Yet He does not waiver in His claim that He is Shelter & Refuge. 
 
Yes, with such a vast array of challenges plaguing our world it is easy to think that our perception are reality. It is easy to question whether God should be concerned about how people perceive Him.  Yet He never feels the need to hire a public relations spokesperson to clean up our perceptions.  He simply lets His light shine forth and be revealed from the shadows of darkness and confusion.   
 
My perception of God does not impact the reality of who He is.  My image of Him does not define His character. The reality about perception is that perception is not truth. 
 
God is Truth and you can trust in that!

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