The Whole Picture

 

Year 9- Day 14: Today, I am grateful for the whole picture.

How many times do we catch a glimpse of something or someone and make a judgment call without all of the information. 

"I shiver, thinking how easy it is to be totally wrong about people, to see one tiny part of them, and confuse it for the whole." -Lauren Oliver

Remember the movie "Pretty Woman"? I love the scene where Vivian returns to the very same stores that refused to serve her with her arms loaded with packages. She asks them if they remember her from the day before. She reminds them they would not serve her. She holds up the bags and says, "Big mistake. Big. HUGE!" 

I've always loved that scene. I am reminded to never judge a book by the cover. One glimpse of a human on a particular day... at a particular moment in time... it is not an accurate summation of who they are. People are complicated. Vivian was so much more.
 

How many times are we wrong about people based on a first impression? First impressions matter, they are often just a glimpse and not an accurate depiction. It takes time, an open mind and persistence to get past  incorrect "first impressions".

Jesus always looked past what was seen on the surface... and into the heart. Zacchaeus was a hated tax collector. The woman at the well had a history of failed relationships. James and John were called the "Sons of Thunder". Peter was impulsive. Thomas was skeptical. The Centurion was a Roman Soldier. Jesus saw the whole picture. He knew their hearts.  

Now... Jesus has the advantage of God eyes. We are human. Still, we can learn from His example. Pause. Ponder. Practice patience. 

"God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith." -Acts 15:8-9

He cleanses our hearts through faith. He changes us. He helps us see with his eyes.

Today, I am grateful for the whole picture.