Check Your Lenses

There’s always that one person. You know who I’m talking about… the one person who is always looking on the bright side. There’s the glass half-full and the glass half-empty. Then there are those who are just happy to have a glass. I’m sure you’re aware that the lens in which we look through is quite impactive on how we see the world – not just for ourselves, but also those around us. It’s about our point of view, of course, but it’s more than that.

In the movie “Trolls,” Princess Poppy says that she knows the world is not all cupcakes and rainbows, but that she’d rather go through life thinking that it mostly is instead of being like her friend, Branch. He’s the opposite of Poppy; doom and gloom and preparing for the worst and he believes that even hoping for the best is a pipe dream. Instead of embracing a life of choosing happiness, he chooses to spend all of his time living in an underground bunker, stockpiling supplies because it’s only a matter of time before the Bergens find them and eat them. It’s unfortunate, but this is very similar to how our current world is.

The year 2020 is one for the history books (depending on who is writing the books of course). It’s been one thing after another! With all of the uncertainties of what will pop up next, the next catastrophe that will be announced, it’s not surprising that the “end-is-near-doom-sayers” are starting to come out of the woodwork. There are several floating around that have very interesting points, a lot of scriptural truths, and achieve, for the most part, exactly what is desired by the author. Just keep in mind the lens and be careful about jumping to assumptions about who the author is.

The world we live in is driven by image. Social medias are all about followers and the interactions our followers have with our posts. “How many ‘likes’ did this one get?” We’ve come to find out how to word things to elicit desired responses. It’s become so second-nature that we don’t always realize we’re doing it! A post that is made, requesting prayers, is innocent enough, but if it’s worded just right, we’ll get a lot of responses. My hubby and I were talking about this the other day and an interesting comparison came up.

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.'” Numbers 13:1-2 (NIV)

God has stated that He’s giving the land of Canaan to the Israelites. That’s a promise from God. So, when the time comes, twelve men are sent to explore the land and report back. After forty days, they returned to Moses with a report of impossibilities – they were like grasshoppers compared to the giants who inhabited the land. Instead of focusing on the massive size of the grapes (one cluster had to be carried by two people) along with the pomegranates and the figs, they weren’t a glass “half-full” or “half-empty” – they didn’t even acknowledge the glass.

Please remember, these are the same people who “enjoyed” a diet of manna for quite some time. When they complained about the provision of food, God didn’t just promise meat to eat for a day, but for a whole month – stated that they would grow to loathe it because they would have so much of it. Then Moses just had to express his doubt regarding God’s ability to provide enough meat for so many for so long (Numbers 11:4-22). I love God’s response:

“The Lord answered Moses, ‘Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.'” Numbers 11:23 (NIV)

If you continue to read the rest of the chapter, God kept His promise and provided so much quail that it took two days to collect it all (Numbers 11:31-32). And, knowing that whiners and complainers – those who don’t even acknowledge the glass – could not be satisfied, God struck them with a severe plague while they were still eating. Gives a whole new meaning to Proverbs 18:21. But I digress…

Back on track, a man from each of the twelve tribes was sent to explore the land, the land God has promised to give them, and ten of them come back and report nothing but impossibilities and doubt. Not only that, but they spread their report throughout the camp. Bad news sells, right? Caleb and Joshua are the only two who held to the promise.

“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.'” Numbers 13:30 (NIV)

“…The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord and do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” Numbers 14:7-9 abridged (NIV) spoken by Caleb and Joshua in front of the whole Israelite assembly.

Caleb and Joshua were exploring the land and viewing everything in it through the lens of God’s promise. Notice, though, the other ten. They “post on social media” the impossibilities, the horrors to come if they try to take the land, the dismal outlook, and they get bombarded with “likes,” “cares,” “sad,” and even “angry” interactions. They also get a bombardment of comments of agreement and the like. I guess misery does love company. All of the doubt and fear from the ten chokes out the faith and hope that are expressed by Caleb and Joshua.

We have choices all around us: turn right, turn left; sit, stand; make eye contact, avert and dodge. Take measure of the current events by looking through the lens of God’s promise, or the lens of fear. Remember that author I mentioned earlier?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

The thief, aka Satan, has come to steal your peace, kill your joy, and destroy your hope. He wants us to live in fear! He wants us to see the world and its current events through a lens that is fogged over with fear. He is the author of the nightmares, of the panic attacks, of the stress that wreaks havoc on our immune systems. On the other hand,

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:18 (NIV)

We’re told in I John 4:16 that God is love. I can’t help but feel sorry for the people, saved and unsaved alike, who are living in fear. Fear of the end times, fear of the doctor’s report, fear of the bill collectors, and even in fear of the unknown. There’s a catchy phrase that floats around the social medias and has even been printed on shirts and made into home décor and wall art: Instead of telling God about your mountain, tell your mountain about your God. 

When fear comes knocking, start reading about God’s promises! His power surpasses our meager ability to understand, but if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can (as Caleb and Joshua said) “swallow them up.”

I’m not saying that there are not going to be troubles in this world, but God has overcome it! It may not all be cupcakes and rainbows, but the One who conquered death itself lives inside of me. This perfect Love resides in me. For all of the news you listen to and watch, for all of the time you spend scrolling through social medias, for all of the negativity that is there to breed fear and anxiety, hear and view them through the lens of God’s love, God’s goodness, and His unequaled faithfulness.

Our response to the world and its current events depends on the lens we see it all through. Did you know that since the perfect Love resides in me, I don’t have anything to fear? All of those fears you might be dealing with, swallow them up! If you are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, the Lord is more than with you, He’s in you! Allow yourself to confidently rest in what God has already promised to you – and take the land! You can certainly do it.