A Real Perception Shaper

Our experiences shape our perception. How we perceive the challenges we face in life is shaped by the previous experiences we have had. Ask the average American middle-school child to run 5 or 6 miles and they will look at you as though you have asked them to climb Mt. Everest. Pose the same question to a child from Kenya and they will knock out the miles like it was nothing. Same challenge – different perspective – different response.

Yesterday we attended a Labor Day Parade in my small hometown where my parents still live. It is about 20 miles from our home and my wife suggested I use this as a training run. So I did…but I prefer company so I asked my two eight year old sons if they wanted to come along. I let them know there were some pretty good hills and it wouldn’t be easy and we would be leaving the house at around 6 AM. They both said yes. And when my wife asked if they were sure, one of them said “Yes, I want the challenge and you always say we can do anything with God.”

Well, morning came and we set out and they never complained, they never walked an inch of the hills, they rode the whole distance and when we arrived they both could have kept on riding.

This experience will help shape their perception of what a long ride is. At eight years old 20-miles on the bike has now become ordinary and very doable. The bar has been raised. If you want to create a challenge for them you will have to throw out something quite a bit bigger than 20 miles.

When Jesus said everything is possible for him who believes you have to realize that what you can truly believe is possible is shaped by our perception. If you can’t wrap your mind around it how can you really believe it is possible? One way to help you enlarge your thinking is by enlarging your experiences. Does this raise the opportunity for challenges? Does it raise the opportunity for failure? Yes it does. But there is no other way to get the experience that will allow you to shape your perception that will allow you to believe for the “anything is possible” that Jesus is referring to.

One of the problems so many people have is that they want to claim this scripture for things that they really can’t believe for, nor are they willing to pay the price of the experiences that will raise their level of perception that will then allow them to truly believe. My sons raised their perception today, but it came at the cost of the experience. They were up at 5:30 AM, they pedaled up the hills, and they kept going even when they may have preferred to stop.

Are you limiting your level of perception and thereby limiting what you can truly believe is possible? If you are I would encourage you to open yourself up to some experiences that will raise that level of perception. Then you will be able to read this scripture with a newfound sense of what belief is really all about.

Mark 9:21-24 – “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."" 'If you can'?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved