NOT What it Seems

We can look squarely at something and it seems obvious that it is a certain way, when really it’s not at all what it seems. For instance, my husband and I recently were on flights to visit our daughter in Ohio, and then to our son’s in Florida for the winter. When you fly so far above the earth, it seems like we are going about five miles an hour, when really we are speeding along in a jet at hundreds of miles per hour.

On a clear day, we can look down from the plane at the “little” houses and it seems like we could pick them up with two fingers. Actually, we couldn’t pick them up with a powerful crane. Why is reality so distorted, depending on where we stand? Which position gives us the more accurate perception?

Relationships are not always what they seem to be. It can look like a family is happy when they are out at a social event, but if we could see them in their home, we would realize that all is not well in this dysfunctional household. On the other hand, we may perceive that a person doesn’t like us, when really he or she is just shy and intimidated by one that they admire. The situation is not what it seems.

When the people of Israel were about to enter the promised land, spies were sent in to check out the land. They needed to know what it was like and who they would be facing. When they returned, two different reports were given. One group saw all the “giants” they would be facing and were too frightened to move in and claim what God had promised. Two men saw the place in a different light. They said: “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us!“ (Numbers 14:7-9, NLT). These men of faith saw beyond what things seemed like.

What about us? Aren’t there times when things seem out of whack? Out of control? Or too painful to endure? Here’s the truth. “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11, ESV).Even Isaiah got discouraged at times. But he knew things weren’t what they seemed and he came to the right conclusion. “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the Lord’s hand; I will trust God for my reward” (Isaiah 49:4, NLT). I want to be like Isaiah, don’t you? Recognizing that things are more than what they seem?