“When you look in a different way…you find different things.” – Kris Stanek. Stanek is co-author of a study by scientists at Ohio State University who recently discovered a small black hole that they dubbed “The Unicorn”, which is the closest black hole to Earth yet discovered. The Ohio State scientists looked at the distortion of a red gas giant star only 1500 light years from earth differently than previous observers had and proved the existence of the black hole that is paired with it is causing the distortion.
You don’t have to be a scientist to look at things and life differently. Rather than accept what at the time was the conventional wisdom about the distortion of the star, the Ohio State scientists postulated a different explanation, a different way of looking at it and set out to prove their theory.
I was for a while on the board of our local Community Coalition group, a group whose mission is to try to keep kids off drugs and alcohol. We would occasionally participate in various health fairs in the area with a booth. One of the most popular things that we did in the booth involved a simulation of the effect of alcohol on vision. We used a special set of goggles with lenses that distort one’s vision the way being drunk can distort it. We asked the participants to place simple shaped pieces into the proper place in a board with cut outs for those pieces. They couldn’t do it, because the goggles distorted their view of the board and the pieces.
We all “see” life through various lenses that can distort how we see things. The lenses that we look at life thorough might be called our attitude towards life. Some see life through the lenses of prejudices and hate. For them, life is a dark and angry place to be railed against. Some see life through the lenses of fear, uncertainly and doubt. For them life is a scary place, indeed. Many just see things with some form of “conventional wisdom” in mind, never stopping to challenge the source or accuracy of that wisdom.
It is not my intent here to go into depth about attitude and how it effects one’s view of life; but, rather, to raise the flag that it can have an impact and that one needs to stop and question why they are reacting to something or someone in a certain way. We all need to ask ourselves if we are looking at things through lenses that ae distorting our view – fear, hate, prejudice or some other lens. Then ask yourself if there is a different way to “see” the situation, maybe even from the perspective of the other person. Just stopping to question your own reaction or thoughts will force you to think about it before reacting. – and that is a good thing.
If you need a new way of looking at things, try this from the Bible –
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Maybe having a little reminder close at hand would help. Many find those little bracelets with the letters WWJD embossed on them help. It is hard to come up with a hateful answer to the question, “What Would Jesus Do?”
If you look at life through the Jesus lens it will look a lot brighter to you and will become a happier place to be.
What lenses will you look at life through today?
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