God's Perspective

I met with Jesus in a flash of time the other day and I'm still working out the meaning of it all. The scene that played out before me was more vivid than I usually experience during these times and I can still see it clearly. Here's what happened:

I stood before a giant waterfall crashing down into a small river before me. The falls was on my left and the water flowed to the right, down a slight grade. It was dusty, desert-type ground with a few boulders scattered around the area. Jesus stood on a boulder in the middle of the river where the spray was not quite reaching him. The water was a beautiful deep blue and the falls coming from the rocky cliff almost seemed to surround me; I was truly immersed in the scene. It was a serene moment, but I quickly realized something was "off." Then it hit me- the water wasn't making any noise! It was falling so far and in such quantity with the appropriate spray, but there was no sound at all!

I was puzzled, so I looked to Jesus, who then jumped down from the boulder and beckoned me to follow him. I went with him around the left side of the cliff/falls and saw that it was fake. It was like going behind the scenes on a movie set- the back was all cardboard with a couple of long wooden supports holding it all up (I could even see the typical single lightbulb hanging from the ceiling with a pull chain!). There was a huge, thin ladder leading all the way up to the top of the fake cliff/falls. I climbed the ladder and at the top, I could see the beautiful scene below me that I was standing in the midst of only moments ago. But from here, I could easily tell it was all fake. It was obvious. One moment, I was all caught up in the wonder and beauty of the scene- it was so breath-taking! The next, I could see through it to the truth- it was a total sham.

Now this whole scene flashed very quickly through my mind while I was talking with another person. After asking Jesus what he was trying to tell me through it, this is what I got:

"It is easy for you to get all caught up in the outward apprearance that people present; you want to believe the best of them (I placed that desire within you). But when you listen to me and let me show you the truth, the fancy outward picture they put on display for the public to see, is often only a hollow fake. It is propped up by so little, it could come crashing down in a simple moment of crisis and leave them broken and desolate. That doesn't mean you are to point that out to them, rather you are to understand the fragile nature of the image people project of themselves and build them up so they can get to the reality I desire for them.

"There are tip-offs that will give it all away if you are open to letting me show you- like the soundless water and the desert ground, which should have been green and fertile with so much water around. But when you look from my perspective (above it all), you can easily see their need. Always let me help you help them."

I wonder what kind of image I project to others? How truthful am I with myself about where I am in my life? Oh Lord, I'm willing to see what you want to show me. Open my eyes to your perspective of myself and others. Then help us all move toward the reality you have for us.