GAINING PERSPECTIVE

  Telescopes help us see things very far away and offer us a unique perspective beyond our normal vision. They have totally changed our perspective of the universe and our position in it. Telescopes are constantly improving and changing our perspective of the solar system and planets like Venus.

  • The radio telescope can show radar images which go below the cloud cover on Venus and can penetrate a half mile below the surface and help map the planet’s terrain.[i]

  For the last 30 years the Hubble space telescope has explored distant galaxies and black holes. Discoveries like these will change our perspective of the history of the universe and promote the discovery of things never seen or contemplated before. As new discoveries are made, it leads to new perspectives which then lead to additional discoveries that result in changing perspectives.

  Often in life, we can lose perspective and struggle to see and understand things in the proper light. Sometimes, a fresh perspective can make a big difference.

PRISON OF THE FORGOTTEN

  After Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, he caught the attention of his master’s wife. She found him attractive and tried many times to seduce him into sleeping with her. Joseph knew better than to romance his master’s wife. He turned down her advances and kept his distance. Despite his honorable character, Joseph was falsely accused of taking advantage of Potiphar’s wife. In her scorn, she framed him and lied about what happened. As a result, Joseph went to jail for a crime he did not commit.

  • Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained. (Gen. 39:19-20, NLT)

  Falsely accused. Falsely imprisoned. Joseph lost his position, and his life took another downturn. Betrayed again, he was left in prison for years and was eventually forgotten. Just when it seemed his life and situation were improving, it all fell apart again. The injustice and unfairness of his circumstances must have weighed heavy on his heart and mind.

  It is incredible that after all this, Joseph earned the favor and trust of the prison warden. Joseph’s faith, noble conduct, and resilience were rewarded again as he was placed in charge of the other prisoners. Even in jail, Joseph found himself in a leadership role. Again, the Lord was with him in exile, in slavery, and now in prison.

  If Joseph took inventory of his life at this point, he would have very little perspective on what God was doing and why. His limited view from the cistern floor, from the bondage of slavery, or through the prison bars made it incredibly difficult to understand God’s will and purpose for his life. Joseph’s journey reminds us that leading well requires no small amount of perseverance and faith, especially in the absence of perspective. Thankfully, this was not the end of his journey. 

How do you lead well when your circumstances cause you to lose perspective?

 

Posted: July 2023 • Authors: Daniel Ely & Larry Ely

Excerpt: “Chapter 7- Change in Perspective: What Matters Most?” from Leadership Reborn: 8 Ways Faith Transforms Your Everyday Leadership.

© Larry Ely & Daniel Ely. All rights reserved.

[i] Diane Tedeschi, “The Planet Detective,” Air and Space Quarterly, (Washington, DC: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Fall 2022), 25-39.