A change in perspective--His

They say perception is what matters. Perception, however, relies on what other people think.

Perspective comes from within. For the past four months, I’ve begun to live a life of perspective.

The impetus came with the diagnosis of my wife’s Stage 4-B uterine cancer. In the battle with cancer, there are only four numbers—one through four—and the higher the number, the worst the news. To many on the outside, the perception is beyond hopeless. “Just pack it in and move on,” it’ll never get any better.

It was that way with me for two or three weeks into this journey. Then, something happened. Through  prayer, reading and research, I came across something that gave me the right perspective and turned my mind and heart inward instead of outward. Perception erodes under the torrent of perspective.

The starting point came for me when my wife was sitting in a chair and we were crying while we remembered all the wonderful times we’ve had in our 15 years together. “Go get the guitars,” she said. “I want to see if I can sing.” I did, and we made love through music for 45 minutes. My perspective of music changed that day from, “look at me singing” turned into “I’m singing for you.”

Perspective also reveals herself in odd places. I sat outside a bar in a Memphis neighborhood on a hot April day, eating French fries and drinking beer with a friend when she came whistling on the breeze. “You know,” my friend said, “most people don’t realize the power of prayer. When they say, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ it’s more of a platitude than a reality.” My perspective on prayer has become very practical to the point when my wife says she’s hurting, I will pray for her right then and there—and place my hands on her head while I’m doing so.

I suppose the biggest revelation that perspective has given me is the ability to ask for the unseen. In studying the various Bible scriptures on Jesus’ healing miracles, I ran across another perspective: Never did Jesus just go up and heal someone. The miracles were first questions, then answers. “Can you and will you heal me?”  And it is more than okay to admit your wavering belief while sincerely wanting more belief.  Just as it was in scriptures I might also say, “Lord I believe, please help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24