Passive Perspectives

I'm amazed at how often a perspective change can encourage my heart. Things that are often frustrating, when put in a different perspective can bring joy or life into my being. Usually, another person, or God, has to give me this perspective change.

I had to take a bunch of personality tests as I enrolled in Bethel. None of them were new. I had taken all of these tests before. One of them, my favorite one, is the Strengthsfinder test. I've taken it twice now, with similarities on some strengths, and some differences that arose in the 4 years between taking it again.

One thing that remained clear was that I had a gifting of putting things in a new perspective. I understand that I see life differently from most people. Sometimes my perspective frustrates other people, usually my forcefulness does, but often times my perspective encourages people to see and understand things in a different way, a hopeful way.

There are days I wake up and hope to use this ability. Not some "sense" that I have, or "knowledge" that I hold, but an ability to tell a story, or explain my experience in a way that will encourage those who hear (or read).

Yesterday, in the shower I had such thoughts. These thoughts were specific to my church community. I get to talk often about this community while I'm at school. I speak of the challenges of the community, the frustrations, but also the benefits, joys, and things that I greatly respect about that church (First Baptist Church Minneapolis) and its leaders. I was wondering if there were ways that I could share some of these positive perspectives to a larger audience than my small group.

Could I write a newsbreak letter describing my perspective on the musical worship styles and my respect for the balance offered to help everyone be both comfortable and sacrificial in worship? I'm positive I could write about this touchy subject from a perspective that would be largely agreed upon, and encouraging, though not initial for many people.

What about our small group system? Could I write an example of how my specific small group has impacted the life of all those involved in positive ways, because we've chosen to be that kind of community? Would anyone want to read it?

I don't know that any of these ideas will happen, both because I don't know if they are possibilities and because I sometimes get lazy, but I am excited for the next time I get to help shape someone's perspective in a way that brings life into their being as they see God at work in their midst.