Perceptions and Realities

Greetings and Salutations Lifers!

Out of the Shoot Shout Out: if you are in town this weekend, join us on Saturday night or Sunday morning for a time of worship and connection. If you are looking for an awesome way to spend your Saturday afternoon, look no further than the Bay Life Car Show from 10-3. Hundreds of cars, tons of food and booths – a great day for bringing your name in the wall to something at church!  (Shout Out concluded – on with our email)

It has been too long since I last typed you all – I pray that your day/week/month has been laced with grace and that you are keenly aware of God’s hand in your life despite your current circumstances (good or ghastly). I am writing this email as a replacement for one that I started yesterday (I had 7 or 8 paragraphs going – I was on a roll) but lost to a power outage/glitch that popped the lights off here at the church for a second or two.  This one may be shorter than the previous, but no less from the heart.

Had a great time with one of my life groups last night – are you in one of these things? Don’t know how somebody does the Christian life without the shoulders of other Christians – I learn so much from leading my groups. Anyway, we got on the subject of perceptions and realities while discussing the train wrecks that our tongues can cause (James 3) and how our words get misinterpreted by other people’s perceptions. We decided that it’s best to choose words wisely. Turns out that this was God’s idea from the beginning.

So we’re riffing on this whole area of perception and it occurs to me that our view of things is a real life-shaper. I was talking to a friend just today who is in a “required relationship” with someone who is not exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit (read: a real jerk). When I asked him if it was possible to perceive what this guy says or does as anything other than “jerky”, he admitted having a difficult time in granting him grace. Seems that people only go so far when it comes to making up their minds about people – with certain folks, we decide and then that’s it.

I guess the wrath that comes when a marred being judges another marred being is to be expected. It’s kind of like my daughter’s chorale concert the other night. I was in the back of the auditorium out of range of my corrective lenses. From where I stood, most of the girls looked the same, and picking my jewel from the lineup of black dresses was near impossible. I just wasn’t close enough to see. I think that’s what happens far too often in our relationships – our vision of each other is blurred by our perception lenses, and we aren’t about to cut someone some slack.

I am certainly grateful that is not the way of our God. His perception actually is reality and He chooses to love us anyway.  Always. When we were at our worst He offered us Himself. I wish I were better at that.

So I’m running a check on me right now – am I judging someone unfairly? How about you all - are you perceiving someone in a certain light and unwilling to change your mind about them? Oh that God would clarify and grant us grace for those around us. May we be more like Him in our dealings with each other.

Free,

Mark Saunders

Lead Pastor
Bay Life Church