Get A Little Perspective

Luke 16:14-15

‘The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.  He said to them, ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.’

I have a house-mate called Reuben. You may have seen him leading worship at Gas Street. He’s great. Reuben and I were out recently on our daily exercise and, as we were walking past the university, Reuben sprung a fun fact on me. The Birmingham Uni clock tower face is as tall as two double decker buses stacked on top of each other. Not a chance, I hear you say! That was my reaction too. But I googled it….and apparently it’s true.

Perspective is a funny thing. It makes things that are far away look smaller than they actually are. And things that are close look bigger than they actually are. The sun is 9 billion times bigger than a beach ball, but when I hold up a beach ball up next to the sun, the beach ball looks bigger. It’s not, it’s just closer.

The story that we’re looking at this week is all about perspective. The parable of the Dishonest Manager is a story about a manager who finds out he’s getting fired in the morning, so he uses his master’s resources to make friends who’ll look after him once he’s out on his own. The manager recognises that the day he has left with his master is nothing in comparison to the many days he has left after he’s fired.

It’s really easy to get this life and eternity out of perspective (like the Pharisees). Eternity feels smaller because it’s so far away. The troubles and the pleasures of this life are right in front of us and so they feel big. The key is to remember which one is actually bigger.

Prayer – Jesus, please give me perspective today. Help me to see the troubles and pleasures of today in the light of the enormity of your kingdom and my future in it.