Is Your Perception Cloudy?

 Picture 1: Does your perception cloud everything you do?

Picture 2:  Or do you let the sun shine through?

By: Dawn B. Ford

“My perception is my reality.”

However, if your perception is wrong it could cloud everything you believe to be true about yourself and world around you.

Perception of yourself

What are the “tapes” that play over and over in your head? Are they positive or negative?  For years I let negative words spoken by others dictate who I was.  It wasn’t until I dove into God’s word that I realized how destructive those “tapes” and subsequently my “self-talk” was. 

You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” for a purpose (Psalms 139:14).  In Hebrew fearfully is translated from the word “yare” which means “to cause astonishment and awe, to be held in awe.” Palah is the Hebrew word for wonderfully, meaning “to be distinct, to be separated, to be distinguished.”  When God looks at you, he is in awe and sees you as a unique distinctive work of art. 

You can love yourself as much as God does.  Not in a cocky or egotistical way, but in a confident way because you know your place and worth in His kingdom.   

Perception of others

Ever looked at someone and made a snap decision on who they were and what they were going to be like?

When I was in college I worked part-time in a jewelry store.  One Saturday a gentleman came into the store filthy from head to toe.  My colleagues took one look at him, perceived he had no money, and busied themselves to avoid waiting on him.   I was new; it was slow, so I decided to walk over.  I treated him like every other customer, with respect. To everyone’s surprise he paid cash for a 5 carat tennis bracelet.  I got the commission and he never forgot how I treated him.  From then on, he would only work with me.  

Image the perception the ruling class had about Jesus’ disciples.  Can you blame them?  Take Peter for example.  Would you have picked him for your team or a major assignment in your corporation? He was hot headed, loud, always said the wrong thing and had a major issue with peer pressure.

But Jesus saw something else.  In Matthew 16 he makes a bold statement.

“...And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18) (Underlining and bold added by me).

Peter means “a rock, a stone.” In Greek - petros.   The word “rock” in the above sentence is translated from petra “a cliff or a ridge...a much bigger rock.”  Jesus saw Peter’s reality and was saying to him, “Peter you are strong like a rock (pointing to him) and on this “rock” (pointing to himself) I will build my church.” * 

Jesus is basically telling Peter no matter what people think or how you mess up; you’re a chip off the old block.  Jesus looks at each one of the same way.  We’re all his favorites.

Perception of God  

How do you view God?  A distant father?  A supreme being who really doesn’t care?  Judge, jury, executioner?   

God is pure love.  If you been told or you feel any different, you’ve been lied to or you’re being duped.  If anyone claiming to be a Christ follower has treated you with anything less than love, they misrepresented themselves and God. 

“...let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God because God is love,” 1 John 4:7-8.

Again the Greek language is sometimes hard to translate to English.  The Greeks had four different words for love, we only have one.  Eros meant passionate love.  Philia meant brotherly love and Storge meant affection for.  The love mentioned in the above verses is Agape; an unconditional full blown no-matter-what kind of love.  God loves us that way and we are called to agape love in the same way.

How do you change your perception to sunny?

·         Read and study the bible.  How we view God is the foundation of how we see ourselves and others.  If we don’t know the truth about God, then we can’t possibly know how he sees us and how we're supposed to treat others.

·        Give others a break.  We’re all human.  We all mess up.   Think of the times you’ve been extended grace and give grace in return.

·         It’s not all about you.  Sometimes people have a bad day.  Sometimes the look on their face that has nothing to do with you.  Don’t let problems fester in your head that aren't really there.

Questions to think about

1.      Does your self worth come from what others say about you or what God says about you?

2.      Ever believe your perception of someone or something was dead on and then you found out you were dead wrong?  What did you do?

3.     What can you do today to change your perception of yourself?  Others?  God?

* www.blueletterbible.com commentary by David Guzik.

Dawn Ford is the VP and Creative Director of Infinite Love Ministries, INC.  A 501 (c)(3) non-profit dedicated to showing all the infinite love of Christ.  For more informaiton or to contact Dawn to speak at your next women's event check out our website www.infiniteloveministries.com