Perspective

I've been thinking a lot about perspective lately. I've had several different experiences dealing with this, and my brain has been mulling over it for weeks now. Without giving any specifics, I'd like to share the conclusion I've come to.

Perspective is interesting, and it's interesting in that it seems to be different for each person. And I'm not just talking about dealing with a trial, or many. I'm talking about conversing with people and how we perceive each other. I've been called a liar, stealer, cheater, hater, discriminator, and many other hurtful things in the last few weeks. It's kind of escalated in the last little bit. That's a lot to deal with. I've been the type of person who takes comments like these personally and I begin to question my character and wonder if my accusers are correct. It's been a long road to realize that they're going to think whatever they want about me no matter who I really am. And just because they think those things about me doesn't mean I am those things.

It's still hard, and it's still something I need to continue working at to rise above, but I'm in a much better place than I used to be, even a few months ago. It doesn't matter what other people think of me, and a friend that I admire greatly pointed out to me that it is really none of my business what other people think of me, whether they're wrong or right, kind or unkind. The only person I can worry about is me. I can only know what I am truly thinking, and only I know who I really am. The Lord is not going to judge me based on how other people perceive me. Their perceptions do not define me unless I let them. No, it's not fun to have to deal with it and try to defend yourself in a Christlike manner, and it's even harder to keep the peace and try not to say anything and lash back when things continue to be blatantly thrown at you. But this is a trial that the Lord decided to give me, and it is one that I will, with His help, overcome and grow stronger because of. And I admit that I don't always react the way that I should, but I'm getting better. I am grateful for the opportunity to face these challenges because it means that I'm strong enough to withstand them, and I will one day understand the full meaning of why I was supposed to experience them.