Feb 2
A perspective is a way of looking at something. It’s an attitude and a point of view. Perspectives are created by past experiences, knowledge and beliefs. That means you can have three people look at one problem and take three very different approaches to solving it.
Let’s say we have a particular problem that we are trying to solve. We keep coming to the same outcome leaving the problem unsolved. We have created a pattern at how we are looking at this problem and therefore come up with the same conclusion. By shifting our point of view we can take a different approach that increases the potential for a new outcome.
In the story of David and Goliath, the army of Israel and the army of the Philistines drew up their battle lines. Goliath, a nine foot tall warrior stepped into the middle of the two armies and said to Israel’s army, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us. This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other. On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.” 1 Samuel 17:8-11
Israel has a problem and his name is Goliath. An entire arm terrified of one man and what he said. Goliath comes out every day for forty days. And every day Israel has the same point of view, they run away in terror. They are stuck in a pattern and therefore, their end result is the same every day.
David shows up to the battle field and he, with the Israelite army, sees the same problem, but David has a totally different perspective. David sees someone who would dare defy the army of the living God. David sees someone who should be destroyed not someone who should be feared. David takes a whole new approach and runs to the source of the problem and kills it.
The only way to get out of a pattern of thinking is to change the point of view. Think about how someone else would look at the problem. Imagine what they would say and do. Sometimes as I seek for the solution to a problem I find it, but then deem the solution impossible. And by imagining how someone else would look at the problem, I see the solution I thought was impossible as possible. Taking a different approach, mixing up your strategy can be all it takes to destroy the problem with a glorious solution.
Change the way you think, Change your life.