We see life from a personal and mortal viewpoint. It is a subjective viewpoint. Our perception of the world is limited to our
knowledge, our conditioning, the light and truth we have received and
maintained and even the seemingly limitless reaches of our own imagination.
This personal subjective perspective is flawed, of course,
because we are mortal, ignorant of so many things, and obstinate and
opinionated by so many others. We
see life with very limited lenses, when we perceive the world subjectively.
God, however, is omniscient, omnipotent, and
omnipresent. Our Father and our Savior
see things from an Eternal and objective perspective. The scriptures teach that man’s ways are not
God’s ways and God’s thoughts are higher than man’s thoughts.
Expanding our subjective view of reality to see “things as
they really are and as they really will be” is greatly enhanced by prophecy and
revelation from God. Without prophesy
and revelation, we would be left to our own strength, and left to see things
from a very poor point of view. But
through the power of the Holy Ghost, our vision of the world around us can
become clearer and deeper and viewed from an eternal perspective.
As with all truth, prophecy and revelation most often come “line
upon line, precept upon precept.” It is
gradually given to allow us the opportunity to expand our capacity to
understand it and our responsibility to live it. We invite prophecy and revelation into our
lives by obedience and through the instrument of prayer. When we pray to our Heavenly Father we are
initiating a connection to Heaven, and if our hearts are open and pure, God
will answer our prayers with revelation.
Perspective has been described in many different ways and with
many different metaphors. Take the
proverbial “glass half full/half empty” metaphor. Those with a positive perspective see the
glass as half full and those with a negative perspective see the glass as half
empty.
But perhaps this metaphor can be taken one step further. In
addition to the above application, it is also possible to see a glass half full
with an abundant perspective and a glass half empty with a scarcity
perspective. In other words, those who view the world as a world full of
abundance will see the same glass as half full and those who view the world
from a scarcity point of view will perceive the glass as half empty.
If we see the world with an objective and abundant point of
view, we can’t help but see it with a cheerful and grateful perspective. The Lord has blessed us with so much, and
there is so much the He has to offer.
But even more than this, if we view Almighty God as a generous and
loving God, we will be open to the bountiful spiritual blessings and gifts He
is waiting to send us. We will recognize
that God gives liberally to those who ask in faith, and to the righteous, he promises ”mansions on high,” yes, and even
promises “all that He the father hath.”
But if we let fear and doubt and scarcity creep into our lives, if we let the poison of scarcity thinking fill our minds and hearts, we begin to panic and worry that supplies of good things will run out. We become less generous and more jealous. We stop looking at life with an objective perspective and see life from a “what’s in it for me” point of view. Over time our scarcity mentality really becomes a hyper selfish mentality and we take more than we give and bury our talents and hide our light under a bushel. The cloud that hangs over those who are selfish and stingy expands and balloons into a full blown storm of darkness. Like the dark ages where things really were more scarce, this modern day dark age is a sad, subjective reflection of selfish people so in need of meeting their own needs, first and for most, that they fail to realize that God really does reward those who serve and magnify their lives, and pours down prosperity and blessings insomuch that there isn’t room enough to receive them.
Loving and serving the Lord doesn’t take away or distract from reality, it gives depth and purpose to it. Happy is the disciple who lives what he or she believes and thrives and prospers in the process, for Christ is at the very center of an abundant life
