Posted by
peripheral on Friday, August 29, 2008 7:05:35 AM
From My Perspective - - -
People love to coin
phrases that don’t always hold up under scrutiny. It is common-place to hear
the expression: “Perception Is Reality”!
Wikipedia indicates: “In psychology
and the cognitive sciences, perception is the
process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory information.”
Objects and Ideas can mean different things to different people. A test that is
often employed is the use of objects or ink blots (The Rohrschach Test). The person taking the test
has to give interpretation and/or definition to what is being observed. Such
interpretation or definition does not mean that is the reality.
This week we observed the
Democratic National Convention. The final night of the convention was held in
Invesco Field. At the 50 yard line a large stage Facade had been erected. Some
thought it had the idea of the White House Portico, whereas others felt it
represented an Athenian
Temple. The point is that
it was a prefab Facade that very quickly was disassembled for the next big
event to be held in the stadium. What needs to be remembered is that a “Façade”
is merely “a superficial appearance or illusion of something…an artificial or
deceptive front…”
When this concept is applied to
political rhetoric by any party or candidate, if a list was kept of everything
that was stated would be provided by “my administration”, one would find that
hopes would quickly fade behind a mountain shadow of impossibility. It is one
thing to “Think Big” and that is a worthy motivational tool. However, too much
of the rhetoric fades in one’s memory and the realities of life are still there
– dreams not realized and hopes dashed. Perhaps that is a reason why in the
latest Real-Clear-Politics Poll the Congressional approval rating is at 17.4 %
and the Presidential Approval rating is at 30%. We seem to be paralyzed in and
by the political rhetoric that speaks what people want to hear, but the reality
of it (thankfully) is Facade.
The greater concern is in regard
to the lives we live regardless of the political dialogue or the ambitions of
the one elected to office. The Perception regarding a Life – is it Reality or
is it Façade (appearing to be something grand when it is only a prefab
representation that is as quickly disassembled as it was assembled)! For
instance, there are some Marks of the Basic Christian Life that demonstrate
“Reality” versus “Facade”! Colossians 2:6 through 8, the beginning point
states: “as you received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the
faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that
no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human
tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according
to Christ.”
The
Reality Factor takes us a step further to Colossians 3:5 through 15, “Put to
death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion,
evil desire, and covetousness…In these you too once walked, when you were
living in them…Now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander,
and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you
have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which
is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator…as God's chosen
ones… Model By Your Life compassionate
hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another
and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord
has forgiven you…above all these put on love, which binds everything together
in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… These are
the minimum Marks and Reality.
Consider these things with me - - - Walk In Reality and Remove All that is Facade!