If you are like my computer spell checker, which underlined it, you are thinking that the first word in the title of this article is misspelled. Well, it may be or may not be depending on your perspective. If your perspective is from south of Detroit, yeah that would be Canada, well it looks just fine. We have kept a lot of the spelling of the language from the country we were established by; but, not as much as our friends to the north. So, how you spell it depends on your home country.
We often lose sight of this. The six years we lived up in Edmonton (and I do mean up, 300 miles north of Montana is up there) helped form my perspective of things. It is kind of like stepping outside of a situation to get a different view of it. When we are in the middle of something we can get so caught up in it that we lose sight of the bigger picture. It is common, it is understandable, it is normal.
Living here we can lose sight of things. Now, I’m not talking about in Southeast Michigan, or even Michigan in general. I’m also not talking about living in the Unites States or even in North America. I’m referring to this sphere, this planet that spins around as it circles our star the sun. It is kind of hard to step outside of it and look back at it. Only 12 men have stood on another sphere and looked back at this sphere we fly through space on. As a point of national pride we could say they are all American, but that would be losing sight of the point I would like to make.
Depending on your definition of space, 553 to 562 people have actually had the opportunity to look back on this planet from there. But I am not talking about those fortunate few who have had that experience, but we who have had the fortunate encounter with God’s love through Christ. Though we live our lives within the gravity of this world, we have the opportunity to look at things from a different, an outside view. Our perspective should be that of Christ’s, who saw things from an eternal point of view.
It is hard to step outside of one’s sphere and see a view different than what is around us. But that is what we are called to do. How else could we go two miles when only ordered to go one? How else could we take the narrow path when everyone else is taking the wider, easier path? How else could we die to self in service to others around us? With everything that is thrown at us each day, it is also hard to remember that we need to see things with the eyes of Christ. It is just hard at times.
This brings us back to Labor Day, or Labour Day if you will. When you hear those two words or are enjoying the long weekend, remember the different spellings and remember to see things from a different perspective: God’s eternal one. See people and problems through God's eyes. Also, remember that the holiday came about because laborers were there for each other fighting for a common cause. Hmm, kind of sounds like the church. Take some time this weekend to not only think a little differently, but also say a prayer for your fellow workers, the body of Christ.
Labouring with you,
Randy