Every once in a while, God changes our viewpoint. He moves us to a different peak and sets before us a new vista. Are we ready?

7 My [wisdom] mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. 8 All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. 9 To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge.

2 Corinthians 5 is chocked full of wonderful insights and quotable verses. For instance,

1. Verse 1- We have an eternal house (body) in heaven not built with human hands.
2. Verse 5- God has fashioned us for our dwelling (body) and has given us the Holy Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing it.
3. Verse 8- To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

My favorite is,

¹⁴ For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; ¹⁵ and He died for all, so that those who live would no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose on their behalf.

This passage leads into the verse for the day, “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer” (verse 16). Let’s break it down.

1. By the term, “no one,” we can assume that Paul is talking about his brothers and sisters in Christ as well as–well, everyone.
2. The viewpoint is from a worldly perspective, which assumes that everyone is in it for themselves. I’m sure there are other worldly perspectives, but that is the one that comes to mind.
3. By viewing them differently, we must see them not for how they can benefit us, but for how they can be reconciled to God (verses 18-20).
4. Before Christ’s Passion (trial, crucifixion, burial and resurrection), all Jews saw Jesus as just another Jew with delusions of grandeur. After the Passion, many saw Him for who He really is: The Risen Savior, the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
5. What I see is Paul telling us that it is REALLY important to see each other differently from the world’s viewpoint. If we see through the eyes of Christ, then we WILL see everyone differently: They are all prospective brothers and sisters in Christ.

This verse helps me to calm down when I get frustrated. It helps me chill when I am perturbed. It helps me have patience when mine is all used up. It helps me to love even when people are being…unlovable. Wisdom is seeing things from God’s perspective. With the Spirit of Christ in us, we have availability to that wisdom every day! Let’s make good use of it by staying in a constant conversation with Him.

Abba, my prayer, my aim is to see things Your way. I know how important it is, so help me to overcome how I feel and just do the next right thing according to Your Spirit. Thank You for making it all so simple that even a child could do it–ME! Amen.