SONGLASSES

When we look through glasses, it changes the whole perspective of the world around us. Prescription glasses clarify everything and make things readily identifiable, unless the prescription is not the right one for us. In that case, it makes things fuzzy and hinders perception. Sunglasses add a tint to our vision that is beneficial when the atmosphere around us is bright but can cloud vision when it is dark. But no matter what the situation we are in or what kind of glasses we have on, they impact the way we see everything.In a parallel sense, all of us look at life through some lens or set of lenses that affect the way we perceive almost everything. At times, we may put on a different set of world view glasses, depending on the circumstance that we are in. It is most important that we are aware of the glasses that we have on and their affect on our perception, otherwise our perspective on life in general or some particular aspect of it will be like wearing the wrong prescription lenses or wearing sunglasses in a dark room.As we journey through Lent and into the Easter celebration of Christ’s resurrection, we can, with thanksgiving, reflect on the best pair of glasses that can be given – lenses through which we can view all of life, lenses that affect how we see all of life. These lenses are SONGLASSES. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, our perspective, our view of life, is completely changed. Because Christ lives, we shall live also (paraphrase of John 14:18c, see also John 11:25-26). This means that the saying is NOT TRUE: “you only go around once in life, so go for all the gusto.” Christ’s resurrection and the promise of our resurrection in and with Him, means that we don’t have to hold on to life so desperately. We can loosen up a bit and experience it, learn from it, and share it. When we know that the “best is yet to come” it changes how we experience what is happening now. We can be patient, we can endure, we can live in hope and be sustained even in our weariness. Instead of focusing completely on ourselves (for if you don’t look after yourself, who will?), we can let go and let God while focusing on the needs of others. The more we reflect on Christ’s resurrection, the more we see that it affects EVERYTHING. Purpose, hope, goal, destiny, all the big picture issues of life are colored and clarified by this one fact. Indeed, if Christ has been raised from the dead (to which we say emphatically that He has!), then Songlasses are the only glasses to have, the only glasses to wear. As we put them on not only this Easter, but everyday of our lives, may we be impassioned to give these glasses away to others as well so that they may see life clearly and correctly.