Movie Review - The Adjustment Bureau

I believe that many movies function as modern day parables.  In most instances, writers and directors make movies for a reason that is beyond just making money—they have a story to tell and often a point or lesson to make.  Many of them touch on spiritual themes and issues.  Many have things to say about God.

Some examples (and I’m sure you could think of more):

·         Signs by M. Night Shamaylan – one of my favorite movies.  The story uses aliens and crop circles, but the main message is spiritual—how do you interpret events in life?  Is everything a chance coincidence or are things happening by some kind of design?

·         Truman Show with Jim Carrey conveys the life of a boy whose life is always on camera.  This story takes a low view of God as the show director, plotting and manipulating Truman’s life for everyone’s entertainment.  Truman is only free when he leaves the confines of the Director’s plan.

·         The Matrix – has many messianic themes and spiritual moments

·         The Superman mythology is full of messianic themes and the movies practically quote the Bible at times in reference to the Father Jor-El (El being Hebrew for God) sending his only son to earth.

·         Bruce Almighty—is an entertaining movie where Bruce (also Jim Carrey) thinks he can do a better job running things than God.  He learns quickly just how difficult that is, even on something as simple as prayer.

·         Pleasantville—is one of the most devious but effective movies.  This movie retells the story of Genesis 3, aka the Fall, using a 1950’s TV show and the transition from black/white to color.  It claims that the Fall was a good thing and that God (Don Knott’s TV Repairman) was intending that outcome all along.

I know there are more but I want to add another movie that my wife and I watched last night: 

The Adjustment Bureau.  Here is the movie’s description on the IMDB website:

Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? A man glimpses the future Fate has planned for him and realizes he wants something else. To get it, he must pursue across, under and through the streets of modern-day New York the only woman he's ever loved. On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt) - a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart. David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself - the men of The Adjustment Bureau - who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path...or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

I had a feeling from the movie’s description that it would have something to do with the idea of Freewill and the Sovereignty of God.  I was not disappointed by this, but I was rather surprised at the hostility inherent in the story toward a “Chairman” who tries to control and manipulate the human population.  People are allowed to make small or insignificant decisions but they are not really allowed to deviate from “The Plan” which is carried around in a book-like form by agents.  These agents live a long time and have been referred to as angels in the past.

If someone needs a push or nudge in a certain direction, these agents will arrange for it.  Seemingly random meetings can inspire someone, a spilled cup of coffee can be used to delay someone from crossing paths with somebody else. 

If someone is going in the wrong direction the agents have the authority to change how the person thinks through direct mental intervention; they have the authority to interfere and sabotage any attempt to deviate from The Plan even to the point of injuring or hurting others.  

At one point, a higher ranking agent explained that their efforts took humanity from hunter gatherers to the heights of the Roman Empire.  At which point they considered humans evolved enough to step back and let us do things on their own.  This was, in their opinion, a disaster.  After the Dark Ages (a very Eurocentric perspective is presented) they stepped back in to enlighten our path, giving us reason as a guide.  They stepped out of the picture again in 1910 and we immediately destroyed things with WWI & WWII.

This caused the Chairman & agents to intervene again.

Basically, this storyline attempts to play out biblical concepts and verses regarding God’s Sovereignty and His involvement in human events.  Consider verses like:

Jeremiah 29:1--“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

And

Romans 8:28—“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

The truth is, God does have a plan—history is moving in a certain direction and end that He determines.  It is His story more than it is our story.

But the plot of this movie, originally a short story by Phillip K. Dick of Blade Runner fame, does not believe God’s motives and efforts are trustworthy, nor do they have our best interest at heart.

This Chairman is cold and calculating.  He is manipulative and is far removed from the actual lives that are impacted by his plan—which is why you never actually meet the Chairman—the human characters have no chance of ever getting close to him to have any kind of relationship with him.  He is far removed from daily life, much more like the version of God found in Deism.

This Chairman doesn’t really care about you, but rather the world improving in general as things fit into the plan.

This is the heart of the deception that the serpent uses in Genesis 3.  He causes Adam and Eve to doubt God’s word and His motives: 

God is holding out on you by denying you the fruit.  God is holding you back from being like Him.  He knows good and evil and He’s greater than you.  He probably ate the fruit which is how He got so powerful.  He just doesn’t want any rivals.  He doesn’t really care about you, doesn’t really have your best interest at heart, which is why He is denying you something good and desirable.

Don’t listen to Him.  Take control of your life.  Don’t be a mindless slave.  Find out what you’re missing.  Step out of those restrictive rules and chart your own path.  Live your own life.  Make your own plan.

This is the heart of the movie and how the movie ends.  The main characters rewrite the Plan based on their determination to make their own choices.  The Plan is, in essence, subject to change and revision.  Even the agents can undermine the plan when they don’t agree with it.

The creative source behind The Adjustment Bureau as a movie, clearly resents a Sovereign God; resents an overarching plan that is bigger than you or me.   

The plan is something to be rejected.  The influence of the Chairman is to be resisted, thwarted and cast off.

But even the movie points out that when the Agents back off and the humans make their own choices, all hell breaks loose.  Apparently, that’s what the author of the original short story is interested in.  Phillip K. Dick – describes part of his philosophy like this: 

"However, I will reveal a secret to you: I like to build universes that *do* fall apart. I like to see them come unglued, and I like to see how the characters in the novels cope with this problem. I have a secret love of chaos. There should be more of it. Do not believe--and I am dead serious when I say this-- do not assume that order and stability are always good, in a society or in a universe. The old, the ossified, must always give way to new life and the birth of new things."

Last time I checked, chaos is rarely good for the lives, happiness and fulfillment of individual people.  Chaos usually results in pain, suffering and moves backward rather than forward.

That is the heart of what Satan hopes to do.  Satan wants to undo everything God created that was good.  He targets everything God loves and desires destroy it.  He desires everything to spiral into chaos so he can replace it with his own order.

God in the Adjustment Bureau is the bad guy trying to squash our freedom.  His plans for us takes away the idea self-determination.  In order for us to be fulfilled in this life we must free ourselves from God’s restraints.

While the movie was engaging, what it attempts to teach about God is destructive.  It reveals the thoughts and attitudes many people have toward faith in God and why they resist it.  God is stifling.  God doesn’t really care about me.  I don’t want to be His puppet. 

It also reveals what they must think about those who believe and trust God and His plan.  I readily acknowledge that God has a plan and is moving this universe to His desired goal.  I readily acknowledge that I am not the most important part of the story and it doesn’t revolve around me or even my happiness.  I regularly teach that God is less interested in my happiness than He is my faith. 

1 Peter 1:6b-7—“though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

Faith is His goal in us. And not just a blind faith, but a vibrant, growing and passionate faith that is able to overcome great obstacles through His strength.  The faith He desires is a trusting experience of Him.  We know Him because we have walked with Him, heard His voice and fought with Him through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.

The amazing thing about it is that He wants to involve me at all.  He gives me the Privilege of participating in what He is doing.  In fact my participation is important and has eternal impact.  God is telling a great story and He invites us to be a part of it.  He is not distant or far away, but in an on-going relationship with His creation.

A great introduction to this concept is a short book called Epic by John Eldredge.

Adjustment Bureau reveals the skeptic’s fear and concern of a Sovereign God and the desire to get out from under that control.  It attacks the idea that Christians can believe in Freedom working in harmony with Sovereignty.  It’s actually an ongoing discussion within the Christian community regarding issues around Calvinism; Predestination v. Freewill.

So it’s OK to be having these discussions but let’s do so from a position of faith rather than doubt.  In a position of wanting to know Him more, not push Him away.  Also keep in mind that this movie is teaching a mindset and philosophy that will harden people to the truth of what God is doing.

So it is important that we watch these movies with a discerning eye.  It is also helpful to be able to engage their ideas and philosophies, otherwise, the lessons the authors or directors intend will be the only perspective people ever hear, learn and incorporate into their worldview.

We as believers in Jesus can be a part of adjusting the eternal destiny of those who are trapped in darkness when we participate in sharing the truth of the Good News.  We in the church must engage what our culture is trying to say about God because these movies are powerful and influential.  Paul warned us to not be taken captive.

Colossians 2:8—“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

May we be given the wisdom and discernment to see through what the world hopes will blind us.

Missing Greater Life in God’s Great Promise

Greater Than or Less Than

One of my favorite math and logic problems growing up were the greater than or less than problems. They were usually pretty easy to figure out.

13>6

Spurs > Cavaliers

Chicago Cubs > ? –the Bad News Bears

These are comparisons we make every day. Something is better or greater than something else.

Numbers 13

A Greater Life in a Great Promise—

God made promises to the Israelites

Exodus 3, God said--“I Will be With You”—God is Greater than the god’s of the Egyptians—He proved it in the plagues—proved it in the destruction of Pharaoh’s army and the parting of the Red Sea.

God promised that their Lives would be Greater than they were Egypt—they won’t be slaves—where they had to hide their children, couldn’t worship without permission, were second class citizens subject to the whims of the Pharaoh.. God promised the Israelites would be fruitful, that they will be able to worship in spirit and in truth, they will experience the blessing of Abraham and experience victory.

There is no doubt that God had brought them to this moment.

He Promised to bring them to a Land flowing with Milk and Honey—and He was willing to make it happen—13:1-3—

Notice the sending of the spies was God’s Idea—not a lack of faith on Moses’ part. What do you think God wants them to see? The Good things—the Greater Life than what they have experienced so far. He wanted them to see the vision of where God was taking them. God’ wants Israel’s Leaders to see what He has promised so they can lead the people with confidence.

They saw this Greater Future and Great Provision—13:23—they saw the provision and goodness, vs. 27—they recognized the what God was trying to show them.

This is what God wanted them to see-the mission ahead of them. Don’t you believe that God has a mission for you, for us? God has brought us to this point in time for a reason—to accomplish some task. Do you believe that God has a vision that He wants us to see as a church, as believers and people in His Kingdom? Knowing God’s pattern it’s probably a task that looks daunting and difficult. It is not for our greatness but for His greatness. God’s vision is about His glory and about His kingdom transforming the lives of those who need Him. All we need to do is be willing to Cross Over into the promise.

God said, “I AM giving to the Israelites.” The giving was ongoing, immediate and certain. It had already begun—He had led them there, prepared them to cross over and advance His kingdom. But this Great Promise had a Great Problem

A Great Problem--13:17d-29

Fearful of Where God is taking them

The Enemy is Too big for us--We Can’t Do It—We’re not Ready.

READ 31-33—for them—the threat, the daunting task ahead of them outweighed the promise of great blessing. For some reason, they trusted only what their eyes saw in the moment and not what their eyes had seen in the last few years.

Their problem was looking at the enemy, and the obstacles rather than looking to God. It’s not like the 10 Spies were wrong—this may come as a shock to you, but The 10 spies were right—the enemy was too big for them. They would not be able to do it.

The land and the inhabitants were too much for Israel to conquer on her own. But Israel was not on her own—God was with them. The daunting task, the giant people and fortified cities were no match against the Spirit of God. Luke and the other Gospels remind us that "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

Somehow, they were Forgetting that their own strength had not brought them so far—their strength did not defeat and bring them out of Egypt—their strength did not part the Red Sea, their strength did not feed and lead them to this point. They would never have made it out of Egypt on their own strength. They never would have survived Pharaoh’s chariots

Their whole experience was never dependent on them or their strength but on God. And we have the same problem they do when we look through our own eyes at the problems and fail to see God’s Provision, fail to see God’s Power and fail to see God’s Promise.

Any accomplishment we as a church have will be because of His efforts—sure we can do a lot of things, but if we are not doing so in the power of the Spirit of God—we are wasting our time—spinning our wheels. They will often be in spite of our efforts. It is when we look and depend upon our own strength that we will fail and not truly experience the blessing of God—

But the flip side must also be true—when we look and depend upon the strength and power of God to accomplish a task—nothing is impossible.

The Task is too Daunting and the Mission is Too Important for us to be relying on our own Strength and Wisdom. God has brought us to the point of the Crossover and wants to see us trust Him despite the daunting task before us.

If you’re waiting for all your financial problems to go get settled before you start tithing… you’ll never tithe and you’ll miss the blessing. If we as the church wait for financial bliss before taking on a some project—we will never do anything. If we wait for numbers to come before we make preparations to receive them, then we are seeing the problems and not trusting God.


So many times farmers plant their crops before the first rains of the season—in anticipation and faith for what God will be providing. If they wait for the rains, their fields will not be prepared to receive it, nor will they experience the harvest.

Last year, one of my first sermons to this congregation looked at Ezekiel 47 and the River that flows from the Temple of God and how He measured a distance and took Ezekiel out into the water to see how deep was. I compared to our walk of faith that at various times we are willing to go out into the deeper water, but other times we’re content with water up to our knees or even ankle deep—like trying to swim in the kiddie pool.

In moments of Decision, in Great Crossroads, you and I exercise our faith in our decisions—are we going to go forward into the Deeper Water and walk with confidence in the Promise of God or are we going to retreat back into the shallows and miss our God given opportunity?

If we retreat from what God has for us, real briefly, we experience consequences. The 10 spies convinced everyone—we can’t do it. They refused to follow the Leading of God and so

they experienced defeat instead of promise,

they experienced the desert instead of abundance.

They were capable of great things—but that whole generation—except for Joshua and Caleb, missed out on those great things.

The response of Moses to this is vital

14:5—Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation and the sons of Israel”—This is what we must do—fall on our faces before God and seek Him

Which is the one who believes in the power of prayer? The farmer who prays for rain and sits on his porch watching for it or the one who prays for rain and goes out and plows and sows his field. If we have no expectation of God doing anything—we don’t really believe that He will and we will not be useful when the time comes. That is a great problem for us.

God, may it never be for us. Let us not refuse your Greatness, Your Great Promise, Your Great Provision. Lord Jesus, may we live out Your call without fear.

Pray that we Will We See God’s Heart for our Church

Pray that we Will We See the Promise & Provision more than the Problems

Pray that we will Crossover instead of Retreat

Sermon--Palestine, TX-- Invitation to Go Deeper -- Ezekiel 47

Invitation to Go Deeper
Ezekiel 47:3-5

Back in 1993, America witnessed one of the greatest floods in the last 150 years. The Mississippi River, swollen with rain throughout the Mid-west left its banks and caused extensive damage. I spoke to a church member last week who had to move his business office 3 times during that flood. I remember it because I crossed it several times that summer, even having to go hundreds of miles out of the way, just to find an open bridge. Did anyone else have to do that? I

Most people, when the river gets big and the current gets strong try to stay away from it. But others seek it out. The White Water Rafting Industry is booming in the Grand Canyon and other rivers around the country.
But I cannot imagine anyone crazy enough to tempt the waters of the Mississippi that year. It was too big, too wide, too destructive, too powerful. And that’s the way rivers here on earth operate. The bigger they get, the more dangerous.

But that’s not the way the rivers in the Kingdom of God operate. You and I have a River of Life that is supposed to be flowing in our lives.

Jesus said in John 7:37, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Our hearts are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and it is from that Temple that the Water of Life seeks to fill every aspect of who we are with the Presence of God. The more water that flows through this stream, the better—because it is living water.

This stream of living water is not the first time God has provided a River of Life. In Genesis 2:8-10 God provided a river that gave life to the land in the Garden of Eden. All we needed was provided by the living water of God. However, something happened to change it. That life-giving river seems to have dried up with the fall; our sin dammed up the river of Life. But another river—the river of life is restored in Revelation 22. If flows from the Throne of God and heals the land.

I believe Ezekiel is given a vision of this river in Ezekiel 47 and through it, I believe we get an idea of what God desires this living water to do in our lives.

It’s an invitation for our lives to Go Deeper. The Temple, with the Ark of the Covenant inside is seen as the Throne of God, where His presence resides. And from Him comes life, life that is abundant, life that is eternal, life that can heal a dry and thirsty land.
Everything that the river does for the land, the water of life does for our hearts. And He often starts the same way.

1. God starts us Ankle-Deep—vs. 3
a. After each measurement, God’s guide led Ezekiel into the water.

b. After the first measurement, he was led through water that was ankle deep. This is a good beginning for all of us in Christ. God starts us Ankle Deep.

c. The waters of the Lord are never too deep for those who are just beginning to drink the living water. There is no danger of drowning, no danger of being swept away. God first leads you into the shallow waters so you can begin to trust Him, so you can enjoy His Presence and get used to His leadership.

d. He will not take you into a situation that you are not ready for. He will start you with the small things, with the shallow.

e. God is, in essence, giving the first swimming lesson to one of His children. He first has to get you comfortable in the water. So He’ll let you splash and kick and jump. Picture a 2 year old at the beach when the little waves come rushing in—they run away with delight. But You can’t learn to swim in the shallows or the kiddie pool. God will invite you to deeper water.

2. God takes us a little Deeper--Knee Deep—vs. 4a
a. God leads us to deeper water but thankfully, He takes it slow—where the water in Knee Deep. He doesn’t just drop us in the deep end. He allows us to be strengthened little by little.

b. When we have gained the experience with the small things, He will lead us on to greater things. In the Knee-deep water, we’re getting more and more comfortable.

c. We are beginning to experience more in our walk with Him. We’re beginning to feel the movement of the water and the growing strength & power of the current.

d. Just like you wouldn’t send a soldier to the battlefield after one day of basic training, God does not send us out without some training and growth.

e. He leads us through the water—God doesn’t abandon us or say—go do it by yourself. God is leading and holding our hand. He is there with us, allowing us to get used to the new, deeper water.

f. At each point, He looks to us and says, “I know you think this is fun and that you don’t think you’re ready for more, but I know you are ready for more. There are deeper places I can take you; there is more of Me I want to show you. ”Will you come with me or do you plan on staying here? Will you trust Me”

g. Is it be wise to stay there in the shallows? It feels safer. Can you imagine what you’d be missing out on by staying in the shallows? Probably not.

h. Because you’ve never experienced anything more than water up to your knees. But God is there, inviting you to deeper waters. He is hoping that you will trust Him for more, because there is always more.

3. Waist Deep Water Requires More Trust—vs. 4
a. Notice that God is the one leading Ezekiel into the deeper water. He knows that we are ready for more. Each time God takes us deeper, I believe we are surprised at how deep it really can be. So often, in our walk with Christ, we’re convinced we know all there is to know, we think we’re right, we believe there’s not a Bible passage that we don’t know the exact interpretation or application.

b. And yet God takes us deeper. There is more to God than we thought. When water is up to the mid-section, you are starting to feel a little lighter, you are beginning to feel more and more of the floating feeling. Our footing is less sure and the power of the current is getting a better hold of sweeping us away.

c. This becomes one of those moments when we are allowing God to reign more and more in us. More and more of our body is being brought to life by the Living water. More and more of our body is under the surface, under His control.

d. While we are beginning to be more and more accustomed to the water, at this point we’re not letting go more, we’re holding on to His hand even tighter.

e. That’s because the depth of God is showing us more and more of how small we are and how big He is.

f. You and I should not become less dependent the longer we are Christians, we should become more Dependant. That’s a good thing, because it can always get deeper. As long as you can touch the bottom and stand on your own two feet, God will still invite you to deeper and deeper faith. Look where God wants to take us in vs. 5.

4. Deep Enough to Swim—Over our heads—vs. 5
a. This is where God wants to take us. He wants us at the point in our lives when we realize We cannot cross this river w/o the Lord’s Help.

b. The deeper we go into God’s living waters, the more you and I give Him control, the more we realize how much we need Him. The farther we walk with God, the deeper He wants to take us. It is said that our God is shallow enough that a newborn baby could not drown in His waters, and deep enough that the world’s best swimmer could never touch bottom.

c. At this point we’re no longer standing on our own two feet, the water is up over our heads. The current is so strong that the river can take us anywhere.


d. The most important thing for us to do at this point is Hold On—we’re no longer under our own power, we’re not trusting in our own abilities, not standing on our own two feet.


e. The waters had risen and were continuing to rise and rather than being overwhelmed, rather than destruction or drowning, the waters bring life.

f. I can almost see a smile on Ezekiel’s face, a great sense of exhilaration and excitement because of the awesome wonder of God’s Presence, God’s Power and God’s love. This is the ultimate white water rafting—no life jacket, no paddle, no boat—just the guide—Holding on to God and letting Him take you anywhere.

g. 6b--Ezekiel didn’t notice how deep the water was, he didn’t notice how cold the water was or how long he was out in it. He stayed “in over his head” as long as God wanted him to stay.
h. After Ezekiel was brought back to shore he saw in vs. 7 a “great number of trees on each side of the river”. It’s almost like he doesn’t recognize the shoreline anymore, like he’d been floating in the river for so long that he didn’t care where he was, just as long as God was with Him.

i. This river of life that God has promised us gets deeper and deeper and has tremendous effects. Read 8-9.

j. This water flows into the dry, desert regions and brings them to life. Vs. 12 talks about Trees bearing fruit every month, just like the Tree of Life in Revelation 22:2.

k. It pours into the Dead Sea—the saltiest water on earth where very little of anything can live, and makes it fresh, a living, breathing, abundant place--the best fishing in the world.

l. I want you to realize that this is what God wants to do in your life. We call places with little to no water “deserts” and they are dangerous and deadly—very little life can live there. Left to ourselves our lives are dry and lifeless. Is there anything more dead than our hearts when they are apart from Christ.

m. Lack of water is not the only dangerous condition. We call water that is not moving but still for a long time “stagnant”. It becomes so poisonous that animals will not drink it. Is there anything more stagnant than the heart of a believer that has stayed in the shallows for the last 25 years?

n. Vs. 9—“so where the river flows everything will live”—the water of life must flow in and through every part of who we are. It cannot be stilled or dammed up. Every part of our lives can become alive when the water of life fills us and flows through us. Our life will be abundant and productive providing healing. So if you’re spirit is dry, stagnant, dead—God wants to bring it to life, to invite you to the deeper water

o. God doesn’t want us to stay in the shallow waters. He doesn’t want His churches to stay in the shallows. He wants to penetrate the whole of our lives with His Living Water. He wants to sweep us away to be carried along to His destination—where we are no longer demanding to control our own lives but giving Him control to take us wherever He would lead us.

p. God doesn’t want to lead us to the desert, where we will be dry and thirsty, where we will see very little fruit, very little water, very little healing. He wants to lead us to a place of abundance, a place of refreshment, a place of joy and excitement. A place where our faith is mature and trusting, relying on the Water of Life.

q. God is measuring out your life. He is measuring out your church. He’s not doing it in distance, feet or miles; He’s doing it with time. He’s measured you off 15 years, 35 years, 50 years, 75 years. Today Jesus is leading you out into the water. How deep is the water? When you look at your life and your walk with Christ and the maturity you have in Him, how deep is the water you are in? Is it ankle-deep, knee-deep, waist-deep, or in over your head? Are you being carried along by the current of God or are you still splashing in the kiddie pool?

r. Are you ready to accept His invitation to the deeper water.

What do you see?

I' ve always loved these pictures. What do you see?I hope you see 2 deer in that picture above.

Sometimes they are quite beautiful.
Sometimes they are quite simple.
Our brains process things differently. Usually, unless we've seen the pictures before, we see one of the images first. Then we have to teach our brain to see the second image. It does not come as naturally. In the above picture, I always see the younger woman naturally and I have to remind myself how to see the old woman. You do see her don't you?

Or maybe you see the opposite and have a harder time seeing the other. Sometimes the illusion is so good that you cannot see the other at all and you think the other person is pulling a fast one on you. But sometimes your friend can merely see something you cannot. Then, it gets really frustrating when they are trying to point out to you something important, something right there and you cannot see it.

I was never good at these kinds of illusions.
Supposedly, there is a cross hidden in this picture, but I have never seen it or one in any picture like it. I've always found that irritating that people can see things I cannot.

It works the same for us spiritually. There are some people I'm comfortable talking with about spiritual issues and there are some people that sometimes make me uncomfortable. See, I have a certain way of thinking, I have a certain way of interpreting passages, a certain way of applying things. But others have the ability to see the same thing from a different perspective or a different application.

We're looking at the same thing, but they see something that doesn't come naturally for me to see. My brain needs to be retrained. Until then, I often resent the messenger, as if it's their fault. In the course of a discussion, things are going along smoothly, and suddenly the messenger speaks and shifts perspective--it's like a wrench in the cogs.

Like this picture below. How tall is the obelisk in relation to the church? Equal, 3/4's, 1/2 as tall? From here it's pretty obvious it rivals the church and someone saying differently must be crazy.
When someone brings a different perspective, we typically respond by getting defensive, taking a position, holding at arms length, rolling our eyes. or getting frustrated that they see something we don't. In my experience, this situation is often a level of insight or depth that I cannot get to. It points to my inadequacy, my spiritual immaturity or ability to connect an issue. When so often they can see a perspective my spirit does not see naturally.
What can we do instead of get defensive, roll our eyes, hold at arms length or say, "there they go again...". Maybe, though it may be difficult, we can listen, try to hear, then try to perceive, then maybe ask questions to help see what they see.

As a minister, sometimes I cause this. It's easy for me to be someone's buddy and friend. But it's something else to be someone's minister--trying to take a church member to a direction they cannot see or even may not want to go. And yet it is my calling as a minister to do this--to lead or help grow a person or even a church.

Sometimes people see only good in some things and fail to see the evil. Many things appear innocent and harmless when they really are not. I've been known to point something out and been laughed at. So I see something they cannot or will not--maybe more out of want than ability. It's hard to say.

Has that ever happened to you--you pointing out something to someone else, or them pointing it out to you? Have you ever seen evil in something when someone else only sees the good?
Sometimes we see the good, but fail to see the evil.