If They Could Just See It from My Perspective!

Reference: Proverbs 12:15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.

Observation: It’s not just the fool, most of us think that our own way is right. The difference between the wise among us and the rest or us, is that the wise recognize that they may, indeed, be wrong. This is one of the most useful scriptures in the Bible. If we would just listen then we could avoid a host of problems and be so much more successful.

The problem with most of us is that we see things crystal clear from our own perspective. We can not imagine how it would look any differently for anyone else. That is the just the problem; they do see it differently than we do. Success, in business, families, friendship relationships and life in general, comes from listening well enough to understand that difference and adjusting to it.

We may get tempted to get angry that they don’t see it our way. In the end, though, our anger is pretty pointless. They can’t see it our way any more than we can see it their way. In the end, we do not given the ability to control another’s perceptions, but we can work to widen our own.

Application/Confession: I know this principle. It still doesn’t stop me from violating it. I need to do what James suggests; talk less, listen more and slow way down my anger response. I need to always remember that those around me do not perceive things the way they do just to irritate me. It is honestly how they see life and they would see it that way whether I was involved or not. Understanding this helps to slow down my knee jerk reactions and learn and change--good things all.