If you were to go to the bathroom for a shower, or to your bedroom, and you found a wasp there, or a spider, the chances are you'd react in horror and fear of such a creature. (That is if you fear them from experience or because of what you heard about them).
If however you found a little chick, or a puppy or kitten, you'd react differently. You'd wonder how they got there, who put them there and why; but you would not fear them. Not as much as if you found a rhino or an elephant in your bathroom. Now that would really terrify me and I would want to use the bathroom urgently; but I can't use it because there's someone already there.
Our perception of things and events are based on experience, or hearsay. Things we have heard or read about. So, in our memory banks a wasp spells danger whereas a puppy or a kitten less so - albeit we might be totally wrong. For example if the puppy had a dangerous transferable disease. We base our actions on pre-conceived perceptions.
In my office in London I had a notice saying PERCEPTION IS TRUTH.
This was to explain to my team that just one slip up can affect the reputation of the whole team and organisation. If we say the wrong thing on the phone, or our service to customers is not a 100% then they will see us and the whole organisation as inefficient and not worth dealing with. It would take a lot of work to regain our good reputation once it is lost.
Look at a Christian today. There are over a billion in the world. What perception do they implant in your mind?
Let us all look in the mirror. What reflection of Christ do we portray?
Wonderful post Victor: I look for Gods reflection in everyone, even the street people, it is sad that so many people are missing out on the love of Our Lord.
ReplyDeleteIf I found a rhino in my bathroom I do believe I would not even be able to scream just tell him or her to not make a mess, giggles.
Catherine
So well said, Catherine. We should see Christ in others and reflect Christ in our lives.
DeleteCan you imagine? A rhino in the shower, and an elephant waiting his turn.
God bless always.
...and I'm not a dog lover. I was bitten a few too many times.
ReplyDeleteI was bitten by a chicken, but I still love a KFC.
DeleteGod bless, Tom.
My husband always judges by what he sees, I always tell him that you can not judge by what you see, and he is wrong many times. God bless.
ReplyDeleteJudging people can be difficult, Brenda. God bless you and your husband.
DeleteI’m afraid the Christian Nationalists here in the US are giving Christians a bad name. That’s sad.
ReplyDelete—-Cheerful Monk
Many Christians world-wide would shame Christ Himself.
DeleteGod bless, Cheerful Monk.
My last boss had a favorite saying, "Perception is Everything." I'll never forget when one saucy co-worker asked, "Whose perception?"
ReplyDeleteYou made an excellent point to your team, Victor. Presently, I'm regarding the entire team at a certain new car dealership in a dim light. Saying I'll never do business with them again is pointless; and I fear most dealerships these days aren't much different.
It's a common problem these days where staff do not feel they "belong" to the organisation where they work. They are employees and the organisation the employer - no loyalties on either side. So service suffers and customers go elsewhere. It happened to many retail outlets over here.
DeleteGod bless you, Mevely my friend.
I hope that when others look at me, they see the love of Jesus. However, I know I can also sprout those horns from time to time. All a part of being human, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Victor!
Amen Martha. We must do our best.
DeleteGod bless you and yours.
Hornets, I can't stand them and currently we have a few flying around.
ReplyDeleteThe last of the season, I hope. They'll be hibernating soon.
DeleteGod bless, Bill.
Just the other day I saw this: "Be the reason somebody believes God is good." I've been returning to that thought and praying I'm not a stumbling block but a good ambassador for Christ.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouragement you give us.
Well said, Barbara. We must all strive to reflect God's love.
DeleteGod bless you.
I sure hope I shine with the light of Jesus. :). We must look to Jesus to see how Christians should act not other Christians because we are just human and by no means perfect!! :)
ReplyDeleteAmen K. How right you are. God bless.
Deletethecontemplativecat here. May I be transparent, so that Jesus can be seen through me.
ReplyDeleteAmen Susan. God bless you.
DeleteWe really do have to be careful because as Spurgeon said, the world doesn't read the Bible, it reads Christians.
ReplyDeleteSo true; and accurate. God bless you, Mimi.
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