per·spec·tive
/pərˈspektiv/
a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.
Our perspective changes everything! Think about the way you see things in the world around you. Even as we drive our cars the side mirror tells us, “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear,” which shifts our point of view and helps us drive safely. Even if you haven’t noticed, your perspective continually shifts throughout life. You grow to learn new things and understand concepts differently as you grow older, which is so important.
Recently, I was reading in Matthew 15 and something jumped out at me that hadn’t in the handful of times I’ve read this before. If you’ve read scripture before that can happen sometimes. He is still talking to us through His Word. Specifically in Matthew 15:29-31 I noticed a moment that shifted my perspective on the heart of Jesus. Take a look!
Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.
If you’ve read much of the New Testament, this probably sounds like something you’ve read before! This is something Jesus does so often throughout scripture and thankfully so often throughout our lives today, too.
Yet, something hit me differently than it did before. If you notice at the beginning of this passage Jesus sits down. Jesus intentionally climbed a hill and sat down as the people were to soon be gathering around him. Not only does this show us more of the heart of Jesus, but tells us that he has compassion for us. Jesus has enough compassion for us that whether things are good or bad, Jesus chooses to sit with us. This fully helps us understand that truly our God is a God that is with us. Not only yesterday or that one moment back then, but today and tomorrow and forevermore.
This challenged me to think differently of my everyday walk with Jesus. Where was I intentionally taking moments to actually sit with Jesus? Where in my struggles or in the really hard moments I face on a weekly basis can I be reminded that Jesus sits with me?
As we grow in this perspective shift of understanding Jesus sits with us, as we navigate through life, we get to connect with God better. Take a step this week to notice God in your everyday and actually sit with him. Don’t forget that Jesus already chooses to draw near and sit with you!