It is amazing how 2 people or 2 groups of people can look at the same thing but see something completely different. Just because we look at the same thing doesn’t mean we see the same thing.
Two people can engage in the same conversation yet walk away with two totally different viewpoints on what they just heard, said, or even meant to say.
Two students can sit in a classroom and get two totally different conclusions from the same lesson and the same teacher.
Two people can be in the same friendship, relationship, or marriage, and the two people in it can have a night and day version regarding the happiness and health of that relationship.
Two people can share the same meal, at the same table, at the same time, yet have two varied experiences.
Two people can watch the same TV series or movies and have totally conflicting views.
Two people can see the same thing yet have two totally different interpretations of what they just saw.
If you go and google, you will find many reasons why people see things differently to others. But here is the reality. And it all comes down to one word – perspective.
Your perspective shapes what you see, what you look at. We all look at things from our own personal point of view, which is shaped by life experiences, values, current state of mind, the assumptions, and a whole lot of other things.
We don’t even know that we are doing it most of the time. Subconsciously we make assumptions and those assumptions shape our perspective.
Let’s play this out a bit. You can look at the headlines in the news or on social media, but depending on your perspective, what you see maybe different. You can look at financial news, financial uncertainty, but based on your financial position and perspective will determine how you look at the financial future.
You can look at the challenges at home, in your relationships, at school and depending on your perspective, that factors into what you see when you look at those challenges.
Now when Jesus walked on this earth, He saw things differently.
And so, one day the disciplines face this challenged of feeding a large group of people, thousands, and they look at a little boy’s lunch. Well that isn’t very helpful. When Jesus looks at that lunch, he sees an opportunity to demonstrate his power and to give God glory.
Remember when Jesus goes to the tomb of his good friend Lazarus. Everyone else sees the tomb as death and defeat. But Jesus looks at the tomb he sees something different. He sees hope. He sees victory. He sees an opportunity for God to be glorified.
Jesus looked at things differently.
I want us to look at the life of Joshua. Joshua’s perspective was filled with hope and faith which helped him to find strength and courage when facing difficult times.
Through their deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites had witnessed first-hand God’s provision, His power, and His faithfulness to the promises made to their ancestors. And God continued to provide for all their needs. As they began their journey to Canaan, God provided food and water. He provided clothes and shoes that never wore out.
And most importantly God gave the Israelites the gift of His sheltering and guiding presence.
When the Israelites reached the border of the promised land, God instructed Moses to, “Send out for yourself men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites.”. This land was called the promised land. Promised land. It is the land promised to the Israelites since Abraham. Hundreds of generations have anticipated this moment and it has finally arrived.
Numbers 13: 1 - 3 – he Lord now said to Moses, “Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites. Send one leader from each of the twelve ancestral tribes.” So, Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He sent out twelve men
Caleb & Joshua were among the 12.
We must understand that Moses sent these men into the Promised Land. Not send some men into the I’m contemplating land, or I’m considering it land, or the well see land, talk to me about it later land, or the maybe land. No, it is the promised land. God says this is the land I am giving to you.
It has already been decided and determined. And so, what we see is they go into the land with a totally different mentality. God didn’t ask them to go decide. God didn’t say, I want you to go into the land and then I want to consult with you. Come back and tell me what you think.
Don’t you let what you think is possible get in the way of what God has promised. Don’t do that.
Don’t you start to think that you get to decide what is possible for God.
The Land has already been decided on. Moses tells the men what to look for. He tells them to look for the fruit. Fruit is what is good, it is evidence of what God has said.
And so, the 12 spies go in and after 40 days they have returned. So, for 40 days the people have been waiting for them.
And so, they come back and give the report. This is where we see that it doesn’t mean that because you look at the same thing, that you see the same thing.
In v27, we see that 10 of the 12 spies give a negative report, they say…. The land is flowing with milk and honey, the land is bountiful, here is the fruit. You said look for fruit, so we brought some back.
Now you need to listen to what they say, because they then say BUT…
I know what God has said, I know what we have seen, but the people who live there are powerful, the cities are fortified and very large. They say the people look like giants. We felt like grasshoppers.
The 10 then start spreading a bad report among the people. It’s all fake news. The said the land we explored devours the people who are living in it. And so, they started to play on the people’s fear.
In Numbers 14: v 1 & 2, we see how the people wept and cried all night, and then complained.
But then Caleb and Joshua, the remaining 2 of the 12 spies, have a different perspective. But then Caleb silenced the people and said.
Numbers 14: 7 - They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
Do you see the perspective?
They are looking at the same thing, but they see things differently. 10 come back and say we are like grasshoppers. 2 come back and say they are like helpless prey.
What do we see in life? The grasshoppers or the helpless prey?
12 spies, with different perspectives. The 10 don’t mention nothing about God, they just see the problems. Caleb & Joshua perspective is different. They see things from Gods promise and power.
This morning I want to share with you 3 questions to ask yourself, which I got from Kyle Idleman, one of my favourite pastors, authors and writers.
These questions will shape your perspective. Your perspective will shape what you see and what you see will ultimately define your reality, the way you see life.
Question 1: What am I looking for?
Not what you are looking at but rather what you are looking for.
Usually what you look for, you will surely find.
Spies were told to look for fruit. Fruit is what is good. There were to look for what is good.
Is this what you look for? Are you looking for what is good?
Do you look for fruit or frustrations?
If you look for frustrations, you will find them.
Do you look for the opportunities or do you look for the obstacles?
If you looking for obstacles, that’s all you will see.
Do you look for the beauty and blessings or do you look for barriers and brokenness?
Do you look for the problems or for what is possible?
Back in 2019, before Covid-19, when I was back in the office, my company were giving away a free doughnut and coffee, if you went to the first floor to test and give your feedback on a new virtual reality initiative.
When my colleague and I arrived there, she said no ways, look at the line. I said don’t worry about the line. She said, no ways am I waiting in the line. She left and I stayed in the line.
There are two ways we can view the world. You can look for the doughnut or the line?
You can look at what is possible or that which might prevent what is possible.
What you are looking for will shape your perspective.
How do you look for the good and positive? You need to work at every day. You need to be intentional.
Many years ago, I learnt that you need to start the day right. So, when I wake up, I thank God for 5 things every day.
There are many things in a day which can distract me, but I like to start the day by focusing on the good and right things.
I like to look for the fruit. If that’s what you look for that’s what you will find.
Let your perspective be shaped by what you are thankful for.
Phil 4: 8 - And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
When you look for these things it will help you to have faith, power and courage.
But you must look for these things. It you look for things that are lovely, pure and admirable, you will see them. If you look for the bad in people, you will only see the bad. But if we start looking for the good, how different things would be.
I know it’s hard. It’s hard to look past our problems and challenges.
It happened to me last year. I was feeling sorry for myself. Everything was going wrong. I was having problems with my car. It needed a service, but there wasn’t funds for a service. The drains at home were blocked and I need to get a plumber out, there was a water leak in the office by the light.
My attitude wasn’t good, I was mad, I was complaining, feeling sorry for myself.
I was then at the shops and I bumped into the parents of a friend of mine. We were in school from grade 1, we went to the same church, we both got married in the same year, he had two children also and boy and a girl. We hadn’t spoken for some time.
His parents then told me that his wife had passed away due to Covid.
I said okay Lord, I get it. My problems are not so big!
Hearing about such loss, shifted my perspective.
Regardless of what is happening to us and around the world, we must look for all that is good.
Question 2: Who do you listen to?
Who you listen to has a way of shaping your perspective and determines what you see?
So, who do you listen to? In our story. 10 come back with a negative report and only 2 with a positive one. Who do you listen to? There is a lot at stake here. Millions of Israelites must decide, do we listen to the 10 or to the 2?
Think of the ratio 2 to 10. Tough one.
This kind of matches what we see today. For every 2 positive headlines or social media posts are drowned out by 10 negatives.
Think about your own thoughts. How many negative things do you think of vs the positive?
The millions of Israelites listen to the ten and as a result, they get to wonder in the desert 40 odd years. As a result, God waits for that unbelieving generations to die off.
Who do you listen to? When I start falling on the wayside I listen to music & read the scriptures.
Songs like Who you say I am, by Hillsong. Or Waymaker! Dive into the scriptures and read what God has to say about me and not what the devil tells me.
All the other voices start to fade out.
Question 3 – What words do you speak?
What words do you say to yourself. We read in our readings how the people just started to complain criticize and blame. The more you find to complain about the more you criticize!
The words you speak shape your perspective.
Do you ever get nervous before you go on stage, or before you meet with parents at a parents evening, or before you write a test or exam?
Kyle Idleman tells a story of when he finished studying in seminary and he was going to preach his first message in front of 1300 people. He was backstage and one of his mentors asked him if he was nervous. He said yes.
Is your heart pounding fast? Yip.
Got sweaty palms, yes now that you mention it
Dry mouth, yes.
He said, I’m nervous.
His mentor said, I don’t think you are nervous.
He said, no I am nervous. Look at all these symptoms. I am nervous.
He said no you are not nervous; you are just excited. He said, are you sure, because it sure feels like I am nervous. No, he said, it looks the same. You are not nervous just excited.
Changing our words changes our perspective. Instead of saying we are nervous, let say we are excited.
There is a lot of power in the words that we speak. The bible says that words have the power of life or death. Not just the words you say to others but the words you say to yourself.
If you keep telling yourself that you are nothing but a grasshopper you are going to start believing you are a grasshopper.
I
f you keep saying you are worthless, you will eventually start to believe it.
If you keep saying that you study or work at the worst school ever, that school will become the worst school ever.
There is a powerful scene in the movie Overcomer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioGtEYGrR7M
