Eternity, Righteousness, & Perspective
Many of the problems people have with Christianity revolve around perspective.
We operate in a time perspective of about 80 years, give or take. God operates over eternity. When something bad happens today……..we get mad at God. Or, we say that we can’t believe in a god who would allow that. It was wrong, it hurts, and there is no remedy in our 80 years. And yet, God has promised to make it right……in his eternal time frame.
So, be patient…….trust that God will “fix” it…….but, on his schedule, not on yours.
We operate on a righteousness perspective that stretches from Adolf Hitler to mother Teresa. God operates on a vastly wider spectrum. It’s like the light spectrum. We see only visible light. But, there are vast frequencies of electromagnetic radiation that we cannot see. We look at the heroin addict shoplifting to feed her habit. We say, “I’m better than she is.” Well……..there’s some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you probably are better, that is, more righteous, than she is. The bad news is that, on God’s spectrum of righteousness, the difference between you and her is of no consequence. “All have fallen short.”
Sooooo………
Never allow yourself the luxury of believing that, in any consequential way, you are better that the other guy……..because you aren’t.
A great deal of our confusion about God, flows from our assumption that God operates within the same limitations in time, space, and righteousness that we do. This is not the case.
Lord
Throughout eternity past, I was an idea in your mind.
For a brief span of a few decades you put me in this place to perform a task……..whether I accept it or not……. whether I accept you or not.
After that I return to you for eternity future……..one way or another.
Help me to keep an eternal perspective.
Help me to accept the fact that on your scale of righteousness, there is no meaningful difference between me and Jeffrey Dahmer.
Amen