Perspective.

That's why God gave us two eyeballs. With two eyeballs, we can gain perspective

on an object, sizing up form and distance. With only one eye, we can only

see flat with no depth perception.

My late precious

Aunt Willie, due to cancer, had one of her eyes removed. From that point

on, she could not see depth in reality. Her brain had memorized patterns

of light and darkness and therefore she could manage traffic. But not

with real depth perception.

One of my favorites,

Desi Arnaz, gave the American television audience real perspective for

the first time on TV as he introduced the use of two cameras to record

"I Love Lucy." It was the first time a TV show had been recorded

with the use of two cameras, flipping from one to the other.

I thank God

for perspective. Every time I step into my shower, with its cold and hot

running water, I thank my God for such. You see, I have perspective. For

there was a time when a bath for me meant the back porch and a pail of

water (hopefully warmed somewhat from the stovetop). Pity that so many

of children mine included have always experienced hot and cold running

water. They have always had a shower. Some guys don't know what it would

be like to take a tub bath.

Perspective

applies to our life with and without God, too. What was my life like without

God at its center? You say, lots of fun. I say, no necessarily so. Picture

this: Richmond, Virginia, 1971. Attending a friend's wedding. At the reception,

the champagne was flowing free. They kept filling my glass. That night

I experienced all the "fun" of drink. It gave me the contrasting

perspectives of awaking with a headache the size of Virginia, along with

nausea the size of Georgia, and the awaking the many times when all I

had the night before was a glass of Coke. Big difference. Perspective.

You bet. I prefer what Coke gives me the next day. Why? I got a perspective.

The ministry

God has given me to Uganda provides more enriching perspective. One of

my pastoral counterparts is Bethuel Dongo. His church is bigger than mine

is and he personally has started ten new churches by training and sending

out ten pastors. He receives $150 each month in compensation. He and his

wife have four children of their own and have adopted six more whose parents

died of AIDS.

Introduce some

perspective. Pastor Dongo worries about enough beans and rice to feed

his children while currently I am worrying about hot and cold running

water as my water heater has died.

While I may

be concerned about the cost of using air conditioning in the summer months,

Pastor Dongo is concerned about blowing rains coming during a worship

service because they have yet to afford windows for their church building.

While I may be concerned about a child coming in and out of a worship

service, Pastor Dongo is concerned about a stray dog showing up for worship

for they have yet to install a door.

Perspective!

I believe perspective has a tendency to make one grateful for what we

have and a tendency to help the have-nots a bit more. Steve Foster, who

first introduced me to Uganda, has said many times that Americans experience

the tyranny of our possessions. Go to a third world country and compare

what you own to what they own. You will get a perspective of just how

much your possessions have us enslaved.

Many churches

are now offering mission opportunities for regular members to go to their

world countries to hit a kick for God and see what life is like. I strongly

encourage you to go. It will give you a perspective that will enhance

your vision about everything.

John

Hatcher is pastor of

Outreach International

Center

1091 South Jeff Davis

Drive

Fayetteville, Georgia

30215

770-719-0303

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