Sermon On The Perils Of Rose-Tinted Glasses

Bertie Charles Forbes, often dubbed B. C. Forbes in signature, a Scottish-American journalist and author once remarked: “Optimism is a tonic. Pessimism is poison. Admittedly, every businessman must be realistic. He must gather facts, analyze them candidly and strive to draw logical conclusions, whether favorable or unfavorable. He must not engage in self-delusion. He must not view everything through rose-colored glasses. Granting this, the incontestable truth is that America has been built up by optimists, not by pessimists, but by men possessing courage, confidence in the nation's destiny, by men willing to adventure to shoulder risks terrifying to the timid.” Psalm 27:13-14 reminds us: “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Viewing life through rose-tinted, or rose-colored glasses is an expression that is considered to portray extreme optimism. However, it is often implied as a derogatory inference by others. Life, may be seen by some as great, irrelevant of the actual truth. Badness may appear incapable of existing in the hearts of others, nor evil, sin, pain or distress. The good side of life is the focused importance at hand. The sun appears to still shine even though the sky is densely overcast, it is cold, and pouring with rain.

While thoughts like these may encourage the weakest amongst us and give tremendous hope to those in affliction, sadly they are considered unrealistic reasoning and become unmitigated fallacy. The truth of life is merely blinded. If this were possible, we might believe that we have heaven in our hearts. Reality, as most discern, is far from perfect. Sin and evil do exist, in abundance. Without a truly forgiving God, there would be no eternal hope for many. Mark 7:20-23 reminds us: And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Life has to be viewed in its true perspective. An even keel accepts the rough with the smooth, only then can true discernment be recognized and progress made which helps our oyster's outer shell to remain open instead of firmly shut. Evil still exists amongst its hidden depths. The rose-tinted glasses that some wear may provide a distorted vision of the truth, or even worse, become opaque. Attitudes need to change to meet reality. These may include the opening of our hearts and minds, listening to God, accepting His love and guidance, then passing that wonder on to others. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 reminds us: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” It has been said that love takes courage, but love, in return, can aid courage. Courage plays an important role in dealing with life. At its base, love provides the firm foundation with which to provide the internal strength to reveal it. With the right foresight and vision, we can form frameworks to overcome adversity, evil, or sin. They may provide the fortitude and resilience necessary to pursue the right course and achieve a winning strategy. Unless the sun is truly shining, we need to discard the rose-tinted glasses of life that restrict minds or limit our focus. We need to stand and deliver against the misfortunes of existence, and with the help of God, we can. Joshua 1:9 confirms: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”