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Perspective

"Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other."¹

An American visitor in England was driving with a British friend who made a remark about the windscreen of his car needing to be cleaned.

"You mean the windshield, don't you?" said the American.

"No. Over here, we call it the windscreen," the Englishman said.

"Then you are wrong," the American corrected, "because we invented the automobile and we call it a windshield."

"That is quite true," countered the Englishman, "but don't forget who invented the language."

All of us see things through the lenses shaped and colored by our background. That is, from our perspective. If we would only realize this, many of us wouldn't be as dogmatic as we sometimes are.

In conflict situations or where there is a difference of opinion we need to say, "This is the way I see it," and then ask the other person, "And how do you see it?" Not always, but often the truth is somewhere between the two. Remember, too, it is a very insecure person who is dogmatic, never wrong in his own eyes, and consistently has a neurotic need to be right.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, help me to remember that I always see things from my perspective and that others see things from their perspective. Help me always to be willing to look at and genuinely consider others' point of view, and be ready to see and accept the truth regardless of my personal opinion. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Romans 12:10 (NLT).

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