difference in title
Contents
Subject: The difference in perspective
main text ; Philippians 1:12-14
There were two competitors who made and sold shoes.
In order to escape the overheated competition in the domestic market, both companies were looking to overseas markets while dispatching sales representatives to remote areas of Africa.
Two competent salespeople each conducted a market research, and it was easy to observe that people in remote areas of Africa, who had not yet encountered civilized life, were all living barefoot, let alone shoes. The two telegrams to their respective companies.
First, the contents of the telegram from the salesperson of Company A.
"The natives are all barefoot, and there is no way shoes can be sold."
However, the contents of the telegram of the salesperson of Company B are as follows.
"The natives are all barefoot, very promising. Shoe delivery."
Ladies and gentlemen, two people went to the same place at the same time with the same purpose, but they ended up with diametrically opposed opinions.
Which of these two companies do you think has succeeded in Africa? Of course, wouldn't it be Company B, which had employees who reported positively?
There is another story like this.
The two ended up getting lost in the desert. Now we only have half a bottle of water left to drink.
Regarding this, one person says:
"Ah- Now that I only have half a bottle of water left, I'm almost dead!" Then this man was overcome with discouragement and hopelessness, and he collapsed on the spot.
But another person says:
"Wow- there's still half a bottle of water left! I'm sure we'll find our way before this water runs out!" Then this man mustered up the courage to move on.
Which of these two people do you think has found a way to live?
Of course, aren't you a person who has a positive mindset and keeps moving forward without losing courage?
Ladies and gentlemen, there is this among American folk songs.
"Jimmy and Joe were in prison, and one day they saw the outside world in prison, Jimmy saw a truck in the mud, and Joe saw the stars in the night sky."
Ladies and gentlemen, two friends who were caught in the same cage, there was a significant difference in their eyes. From the iron bars of the prison, Jimmy looked at the muddy road on the ground and thought that the world was dirty and dirty like that muddy road, and he lived in depression and frustration.
However, Joe looked up at the sky and looked at the beautiful stars, and was always happy to think that there is still a bright place like the stars in the sky, and that a splendid light of hope will shine on him in the future.
In your opinion, these two did better in prison, and when they finally got out of prison, who do you think is better suited to social life and a happier person?
Are you sure you are not a person with a positive mindset?
After a female middle school teacher went on a picnic to the mountains with her students, she had time to share her feelings with each other. One student says:
"Maybe the mountain is so dirty. Garbage is everywhere, and there's even flies... Ugh, it's dirty! Don't go to the mountain again. Sir!"
Then another girl said: "The wild chrysanthemum from the mountain was really pretty. My feet stopped in front of that little chrysanthemum. I hope to go there again. Sir!"
Isn't there such a big difference in the way the two girls see each other? One girl saw only filthy trash in that vast mountain, and another girl saw beautiful wild chrysanthemums.
How we see the world, folks, and what we see can radically change the content and quality of our lives.
In other words, if you look at the world from a negative point of view, you will hate the whole world and your heart will be boiling with anger. However, if you look at it from a positive perspective, the world created by God is still beautiful, and gratitude and happiness will sprout in your heart.
Everyone, don't you know the story of David and Goliath?
When the Israelites looked at Goliath, he was such a huge giant. So they thought they couldn't defeat Goliath. Goliath's gigantic size made them all tremble like an aspen, and they dared not resist.
But David thought so.
"Hey, that Goliath is once so big! He's that big, so if I stone him, I'm sure he'll get hit!" Then, as he confidently ran towards Goliath and threw a stone, it hit Goliath's big forehead just as he had expected.
Folks, if David was afraid of Goliath's size, he would not have been able to defeat Goliath either.
However, he was able to defeat Goliath because he had a bold and positive view when he looked at Goliath's large body and said, "Hey, it's a big and good sign!"
In other words, when we look at a huge problem like Goliath that is approaching us, depending on how we look at it, we can get through it, but on the other hand, because of that problem, isn't it that we can't move forward even one step?
Gentlemen, the difference between believers and non-believers is clearly visible in the eyes.
When a situation becomes difficult, unbelievers try to solve the difficult situation through their wisdom or experience.
However, if you think that the situation is a problem that you cannot solve within your limits, then hope disappears and you fall into despair, and you spend days lamenting and depressed.
But Christians never give up hope, no matter how desperate situations they face. It's never because we learn more, have more, and have better realistic conditions than people we don't believe in. It's just because we have the perspective of faith.
Of course, if we look at difficult situations with our physical eyes, we will inevitably become discouraged and negative.
However, because we see the situation with the eyes of faith in God, we never say or do anything that gives up hope, no matter what tribulation or difficulties we face. We think this way because we believe in God.
"No matter how mountain-heavy waves of tribulation come here in foreign lands, they cannot swallow me very much, for my God is far greater than the present problem!" Hallelujah !
Folks, the Bible clearly tells us:
?쏞hildren, you are of God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world??(1 John 4:4).
?쏧n the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world??(John 16:33).
In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us??(Romans 8:37).
Ladies and gentlemen, the Apostle Paul suffered so much while performing his missionary work. Sometimes I was stoned, sometimes I was beaten, sometimes I was imprisoned. And he didn't eat well, he couldn't sleep in a comfortable place, and danger always followed him.
If Paul had only looked at his situation and circumstances, he would have been disappointed and gave up all missionary work.
However, he did not look only at the situation and circumstances. I looked to the Lord who is the operator and judge of history who works all things together for good.
In other words, Paul had the spiritual wisdom and insight to see things from God's point of view.
Even though I do not know what will happen to me today or tomorrow, I firmly believed that my life is in the hands of God, who is the judge of life and history, who is full of love and grace.
That is why he was always able to carry out his ministry with joy and hope in the midst of all tribulations and difficulties.
While he was preaching the gospel, he was taken to Rome as a prisoner, but he said, "I am unlucky, and I am being taken to Rome by their hands!" And he did not see himself as an unhappy person.
He believed that he came to the Roman prison to fulfill the mission of witnessing the gospel in God's special economy and providence.
In other words, Paul saw himself not as a prisoner of the Roman emperor, but as a captive of Jesus Christ.
Even when he was escorted to Rome and bound by the demonstrators, the elite army guarding the Roman emperor, he did not see himself as being bound by the demonstrators, but rather the demonstrators as bound to him.
One biblical scholar estimates that there must have been about 4,380 soldiers held by Paul in four-hour shifts. In other words, Paul preached the gospel to 4,380 soldiers, even those who were guarding the emperor, who was the most elite in the Roman army.
As a result, elite soldiers spread the gospel to their families and friends, and many Christians were born not only in the upper classes of Rome, but also in the courts.
In this regard, he confesses in the text:
"I want you to know, brethren, that what happened to me has made progress in the gospel. Therefore my bonds have been revealed in Christ to the guards and to all others" (Philippians 1:12-13).
Guys, keep that in mind. More important than what happens to me in life is how I look at it.
In other words, even the most unfortunate things that unbelievers consider to be a great blessing to us believers.
Therefore, we understand what the Bible says, "Brothers, count it all joy when you meet various trials" (James 1:2). And we can live by practicing these words in this foreign land.
It happened in an elementary school classroom.
The female teacher made a small dot on a white piece of paper and showed it to the students. "Everyone, what do you see?"
Then the students answered that each of them saw a small dot. Then the teacher said this. "Children, don't you see a white sheet of paper that is much bigger than a small dot? In your life, despair is this small dot and hope is this wide white sheet of paper."
Everyone, please. Don't drive your own life into despair by looking at the small point of despair and saying, "My life is now over. I'm ruined now, so let's go."
Don't make any foolish attempt to black out the white blanks of that great hope that remain as negative, destructive, and desolate acts.
And it ruined my life, so please refrain from extreme actions that ask you to ruin it too. Then take a moment and look back at your own life.
For you, despair is still a small dot, and hope is still a blank slate.