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| We might use the words rooted and perspective interchangeably |
Religion makes extensive use of numbers. To name a few: there are seven sacraments and seven deadly sins. There are twelve cardinal virtues. The Holy Trinity is "One in Three and Three in One," the Anglican hymn says. The Jehovah's Witness say that only 144,000 people will be saved. In Judaism there are Ten Commandments, eleven stars in Joseph's dream, fifty-four Torah portions and thirty six people in every age on earth who live such godly lives that they keep the world from ending. In Buddhism there are the eight pillars of joy.
Buddhism suggests (and these themes will resonate in other religions as well) that the path to happiness, which every person longs for, begins by keeping negative emotions in check, learning from them and growing in compassion. Some of the negative, happiness-stealing emotions are: fear, anger, sadness, despair, loneliness, envy, suffering, adversity and fear of death. But there are also eight pillars of joy - four are qualities of the mind: perspective, humility, humor, and acceptance. Four are qualities of the heart: forgiveness, gratitude, compassion and generosity. We can cultivate these qualities.
The word perspective comes from the Latin perspecto: to look all around; watch steadily and perspicio: to look or see through; look into; look at, examine, inspect, study, investigate.
Perspective means: How do you see things? American astronauts say that when they view the world from outer space their perspective is changed by seeing the world without the man-made national borders that divide. A new perspective or way of seeing.
It's reported that people who frequently or normally use the words I, me and mine, are more likely to suffer heart attacks than those who use we, us and ours. Self-involvement is a better death predictor than high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol levels. Those who use I and me - (first person singular words) more often are more likely to be depressed than those who use we and us. I can easily believe that. It's all about one's life-perspective.
Perhaps another way of speaking of perspective is "What am I rooted in?" The cultural perspective says:
The Christian perspective is this:
The Christian puts down roots in this soil:
Perspective means: How do you see things? American astronauts say that when they view the world from outer space their perspective is changed by seeing the world without the man-made national borders that divide. A new perspective or way of seeing.
It's reported that people who frequently or normally use the words I, me and mine, are more likely to suffer heart attacks than those who use we, us and ours. Self-involvement is a better death predictor than high blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol levels. Those who use I and me - (first person singular words) more often are more likely to be depressed than those who use we and us. I can easily believe that. It's all about one's life-perspective.
Perhaps another way of speaking of perspective is "What am I rooted in?" The cultural perspective says:
- You are what you own.
- You are who you know.
- You are how much power you have.
- You are how much money you have.
- You are your sexy-ness.
The Christian perspective is this:
And Jesus said: This is how you should pray: "Our Father in heaven, Thy name be hallowed; Thy kingdom come, (which means) Thy will be done, on earth as in heaven." Matthew 6:9,10
The Christian puts down roots in this soil:
How great is the love that the Father has shown to us? We were called God's children, and such we are; and the reason why the godless world does not recognize us is that it has not known him . Here and now dear friends, we are God's children; what we shall be has not yet been disclosed, but we know that when it is disclosed we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:1,2
