Perceptions, part 2

In part 1 I posted the work of Julian Beever. He's an amazing artist, and his work has been highlighted in numerous videos and articles. The reason his work is so amazing is that it is done in chalk on a sidewalk, but it gives the feeling of 3 dimensions. It's the best of illusions because although you know he has drawn on a flat surface your eyes and brain insist that this is more than 2 dimensional.

In this format illusion and the challenge to our perceptions is entertaining, fun and thought provoking. But in real life it's not so funny. When someone "paints" themselves differently than they really are it fools us for a while, but soon we see them for what they are and we are always disappointed when the truth is revealed.

When this happens in art it’s entertainment, when it happens in lives it’s a lie. When once we have encountered a fraud it makes us suspect of everyone. When a politician paints himself as something he’s not, and we believe him, we become more jaded about every other politician after that. If a pastor paints himself as a godly man, but we find that he’s not, we are suspicious of all pastors….and suddenly the work of godly men is much harder.

This happens in all areas of life, and we must deal with the fact that we are fallen men and women…there will always be those who “paint” themselves in a way to deceive us. How do we deal with this and not become hardened to others? How do we deal with the reality of those who lie, and realize that this is not true of everyone?

Let me share briefly my solution. This is what I have done. After nearly 57 years of living I find that my vision is becoming very clear in two areas, 1. who God is and what he’s like, and 2. who man is and what we are like. Having these two things clear has helped me tremendously. Here’s how I do it. I read Proverbs to better know man, and I read Psalms to better know God. These are the two books I start with each day….a chapter in Proverbs, and maybe several in Psalms. Proverbs is for my head, Psalms is for my heart. Proverbs teaches me about man, Psalms teaches me about God. It’s the medicine that keeps me “healthy” spiritually. Now, I will tell you that I also read in several other places in the word each day, but that’s for another discussion.

Here’s my point for this discussion. I KNOW that God will always be true, always be the same, always do what he says. He is God. And I also know that I must love those around me even if they do paint pictures of themselves that are not true. I need to see them through the lens of the word of God or I will become jaded, hard and bitter. Men will always be the same…that’s just the way we are…we like to “paint”. Knowing how to look at all of this helps me keep a tender heart towards God and a loving heart towards man. It’s one of the secrets to FINISHING WELL.

An update-

Btb posted a comment that I want to add to this post. I think it adds a personal application to my thoughts. Thanks, Btb, for the thoughts-

Having been the deceiver and having been deceived by the two roles you mention in "Perceptions, part 2" (as well as others) over the past year or so; the Biblical truth of an individual’s heart and how wicked and deceitful it can be has been brought into the light for me along with the on-going need for me to be transparent. Having faced(ing) the consequences for being that deceiver, I believe this to have softened my heart towards others when they have deceived me. Thus, I must forgive/restore, forgive/restore, forgive/restore........I’m still amazed that when we deceive; that somehow we think we’ve deceived God, when in reality we’ve only deceived ourselves or others. God is never surprised by our deceit and He's the Judge.