Perspective is a funny thing.

Perspective is a funny thing. I remember playing a game as a kid where I would focus on an object. Then, I would close first one eye and, then, another. With each opening and shutting, the object would dance side-to-side and even appear to "move." (right now, some of you are trying this very game as you sit at your computer). You could even go cross-eyed by narrowing your perspective. Call it crazy...it passed the time between commercials while I watched the Lone Ranger/Batman hour in the afternoon.

Perspective can change everything. I shared that thought with our youth last night as I was talking about personal responsibility and making the choice to withstand temptation. For instance, look at how we perceive ourselves in Christ. I think too many of us look at our lives from an incorrect perspective and, thereby, have difficulty living out the call to "be imitators of God" (Ephesians 5:1).

Let me use my wife, Lisa, as an example. Lisa is a realtor, a wife, a daughter and a mother among many other things. Many Christ followers choose to believe that they are defined by these words. In Lisa's case, it would mean she is a realtor who follows Christ. The problem with this perspective is that it puts the major emphasis on her career--her success is now based on what she does, not who she is. I believe the more proper perspective is this: Lisa is a child of God who sells real estate.

Why is this so significant? Because Lisa's worth is not based on how many houses she sells or how many clients she has. Her worth has already been established by the fact that she belongs to God. Believe me, in our current real estate market, you don't want to be identified by the number of closings you have. That's true for all of us, even pastors. I am not a pastor who serves God. I am a child of God who has been chosen to serve Him through this place of leadership.

Give it a shot. See if it doesn't change a little bit about how you see yourself or the choices you make. God DID NOT create you to build a career, a family or a reputation. He created you for His glory and we best fulfill that purpose by living our lives as true sons and daughters of God.