The Big Picture Obsured by Details

(Sunday July 15, 9:34 am - Note --- I have posted the answers to the 'quizz' at the bottom of post so if anyone has not yet tried it, you still can before you check the answers!)



Last week I was in the grocery store when the relative calm was shattered by the angry screams of a child.
As the screaming went on and on, people were starting to look around and women commenting, "If that was my child............"
The mother with the screaming 3 year old boy in the grocery cart passed by where I was looking at the produce.
She caught my eye and smilingly explained, "He didn't want to go shopping!"
She was not the least ruffled, other than being perhaps mildly embarrassed and she did nothing to curb the screams or angry words filling the ears of onlookers.
No-one was impressed!

We do not admire the tantrums of a three year old, and tend to blame the mother for not training her child. If the child had been 13 instead of 3, onlookers would have been even more horrified by the child's behavior!

I have noticed a changing attitude in Christians regarding their behaviour toward God.
Increasingly common are comments like, "Its good to vent your angry feelings toward God."
"Its OK to scream and yell at God, He can take it!"
Is it really OK to have a tantrum before God's throne?
Of course our Father understands our feelings, our pain, our frustrations, even our anger..... but does that give us licence to behave like a spoiled child?

I think the problem resulting in 'tantrums' is that the focus is on details rather than the big picture. As we mature, we are increasingly able to recognize a bigger and bigger life picture.
The immature reluctant shopper was only thinking of his feelings of the moment - not the bigger picture of his mom taking him to the grocery store because she needed to shop for the food he would soon be hungry for. Nor did he realize that she was taking him with her so he would be safe...leaving him alone in the vehicle or at home could be dangerous to his well-being!

When Christians 'scream' at God they too are focusing on the details of the moment, their pain or perceived inconvenience or rebellion against life taking a turn they did not expect or desire.
But God is a caring parent....He takes us along life paths, not to hurt us but to provide the things we need. Our problem is that we cannot see what He sees -- we cannot see the big picture which includes not only the few years of this earthly life but the glorious purposes of all eternity!!!!

My husband got some neat new lenses for his new camera and so I got him to snap some closeups of very common things in our house.
I printed the photos here -- see how easy it is to guess what each of these photos are a magnified part of.
If you want to play, put your guesses in your 'comment'!
I will add the correct answers below each picture tomorrow.

I'm sure you can guess most of them, but the point I wanted to demonstrate is that if we find it hard to see the 'whole' picture when we see only a part of even very common objects, how much less are we able to see the total picture that God sees!?!!?
Rather than act like three-year-olds, wouldn't it be much more pleasing to our Father if we come to him with humility and respect and trust in His infinite wisdom, knowing His love for us is much greater than anything the sin and evil of this life can throw at us??




1.___________________________


2.____________________________


3.__________________________

4._________________________

5.__________________________



6.________________________

7.___________________________

8.__________________________

9.__________________________ ( the photo at the top of blog)

The answers are 1. palm of hand 2. toonie 3. end of banana 4. rice 5. button 6. spool of thread
7.pastry 8.leaf 9. fork

Thank-you, Lovella, JAJ, and Carolanne for having a bit of fun with the photos. You almost got them all, Lovella!! Good job!
I really thought 3 (banana) was so easy I almost didn't include it but none of you got it!! I didn't realize, Lovella and Carolanne that you had such 'taste' in jewelry!!! (giggle)
Number 6, the spool of thread was a give away to anyone who sewed (Lovella) since Gutterman is a well-known name of a thread, but it would have been almost impossible for someone who didn't sew! (sorry, jaj!!) The toonie was obvious to a Canadian but not to someone outside of Canada.

Isn't it that way in the spiritual realm also? So often we miss the obvious!! Also when we have experienced the loss of a spouse or a deep depression or financial ruin we are much more able to recognize the big picture , not only in our own life by the wisdom gained through our experiences but also in someone else's life and are able to offer our help!! (II Cor. 1:4)

Have a blessed Sunday, my friends and family!!