A carpenter friend of mine and I walked into a new restaurant. While I was “oohing” and “awing”, he noted the crooked countertop, the misaligned floor tiles and the drywall that had not been sanded well enough. He was not trying to be overly critical. It is just that builders see buildings differently.
I have a musical friend. When I would listen to songs with him, he would say things like, “Did you hear that bass line?” and I would say, “Nope!” It was there. However, I did not notice it because I had not trained myself to hear music in the way my buddy did.
Sara loves painting. Often, she will look at a sunset and say something to me like, “Do you see that magenta colour on that cloud?” I do not even know what magenta is, much less where to find it. I see a sunset while she, as an artist, sees colours.
This happens in all areas of life. Cattle people see cows differently than I do. I do not know a good cow from an outstanding one, but some of my friends do. However, I can name the make of almost any vehicle coming down the road if it was made before 1990 (after that, they all look the same to me).
My point is this: We do not see life as it is. We see life the way we have trained ourselves to see it.
The big question is, “What are you looking for?”
Are you looking for what is wrong or what is right? Are you focused on your failures or your successes? Are you concerned more about how people treat you or how you treat others? Are you keeping a list of expectations that have fallen short or surprises that you never expected? Are you enjoying your life or griping your way through it
The answers to those questions, and thousands more like them, will determine the kind of life you are living.
What are you noticing?
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
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