What You See Depends on Where You Stand

The disciples got a new view of Jesus when they all hiked up Mt. Horeb. Scripture says Jesus “was transfigured” before them, became luminous, and was accompanied by Moses and Elijah. There were clouds and a Voice, and Peter wanted to build dwellings so they could all just stay in that wonder forever. And then, poof. It all vanished. But they had seen something unexpected, or at least different from what they had been used to in Jesus as their rabbi. They were shaken. Their perspective changed.

And we heard and reflected on Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot,” a startling and beautiful reflection on the place of humanity in the context of the immensity of the cosmos. Try to imagine your own life in a completely different framework from what you are used to – economically, racially, linguistically, socially, and a hundred other ways. It’s hard to shift your position like that, isn’t it? It changes how you live, relate, and make decisions. What you see truly does depend on where you stand. We listened well to one another in retreat last week and I know at least one person had their perspective changed by paying holy attention. Yes, a change of perspective might be revealing and clarifying, or it might be a sickening lurch. But be ready to shift perspective. Maybe stand somewhere else.  God is in there.

Peace and grace — Pastor Carol