The Black Dot

The Black Dot

One day a professor entered the classroom and asked his students to prepare for a surprise test. They waited anxiously at their desks for the test to begin. The professor handed out the question paper, with the text facing down as usual. Once he handed them all out, he asked his students to turn the page and begin. To everyone’s surprise, there were no questions….just a black dot in the center of the page. 

The professor seeing the expression on everyone’s face, told them the following: “I want you to write what you see there.”

The students got started on the inexplicable task.

At the end of the class, the professor took all the answer papers and started reading them aloud in front of all the students. All without exception, described the black dot, trying to explain its position in the middle of the sheet. 

After all had been read the professor began to explain:

“I am not going to grade on you this, I just wanted to give you something to think about. No one wrote about the white part of the paper. Everyone focused on the black dot – and the same happens in our lives. We have a white paper to observe and enjoy, but we always focus on the dark spots. Our life is a gift given to us by God, with love and care, and we always have reasons to celebrate – nature renewing itself every day, our friends around us, the job that provides our livelihood, and the miracles we see every day.

However, we insist on focusing only on the dark spots – the health issues that bother us, the lack of money, the complicated relationship with a family member, and the disappointment with a friend.

The dark spots are very small compared to everything we have in our lives, but they are the ones that pollute our minds.

Where is your focus?

Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

This morning I opened up Instagram to see the following pictures:  

I was instantly reminded of a book by author and leadership expert, John C. Maxwell, "The Difference Maker," where he quotes an excerpt from a speech given by Barbara Bush that has found its way into most funerals I perform:

“We get on board that train at birth, and we want to cross the continent because we have in mind that somewhere out there is a station. We pass by sleepy little towns looking out the window of life strain, grain fields and silos, level grade crossings, buses full of people on the roads beside us. We pass by cities and factories, but we don ‘t look at any of it because we want to get to the station. We believe that out there is a station where a band is playing and banners are hung and flags are waving, and when we get there that will be life s destination. We don ‘t really get to know anybody on the train. We pace up and down the aisles looking at our watches eager to get to the station because we know that life has a station for us.”

“The station changes for us during life. To begin with, for most of us, it’s turning 18, getting out of high school. Then the station is that first promotion and then the station becomes getting the kids out of college, and then the station becomes retirement and then–all too late–we recognize the truth: that this side of that city whose builder is God, there really isn’t a station. The joy is in the journey and the journey is the joy. Sooner or later, you realize there is no station and the truth of life is the trip. Read a book, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, hug a child, go fishing, laugh more. The station will come soon enough. And as you go, find a way to make this world more beautiful."

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There is this verse in the New Testament book of James that reads, "Your life a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and afterward, vanisheth away." (Jm 4:14).  

Would you do something for me?

Imagine you are sitting at your bedside moments away from dying.

You are taking your last breaths of life.

You then are transported back...

Back to a time in your life surrounded by your children, family, and friends.  

And you are somehow given another chance... 

A chance to do it all over again.  From that moment onward.

What changes would you make? 

How would knowing what you know now, altar your viewpoint so that you lead more a fulfilled life?

A prayer.  Father, teach me to appreciate the gift of life and the moments that fill them up with an eye on what is truly important. 

What do YOU see???

Every year my daughter and I get new a pair of glasses.  She insists that I pick out a fancy pair during these appointments, but I have stuck with the same frame for the past 3 years.  She, on the other hand, likes to choose a couple of frames that usually are, according to her, “fancy.”  At the end of the day, after the kids are in bed I always get a head start on the morning routine which includes packing lunches, getting books bags ready, and so on.  During that time, one element that never gets skipped is holding up her glasses to the light as I ready to clean them.  Invariably, there are thick smudge marks all over her lenses.  I take a special wipe and simply swirl the smudges off, and wha-la!  Clean lenses for her to see the world the next day. 

Can I share a story about the way people see the world with you?  

There was once a wise old man sitting at the gate of an ancient city. A young traveler stopped before entering the city and asked the old man, "What kind of people live in this town?" The wise man answered with a question, "What kind of people were in the town you just came from?"

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"Oh, they were liars and cheats and thugs and drunks, terrible people," the young traveler replied. The old man shook his head, "The people in this town are the same way."

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Later another stranger paused to ask the same question, and again the wise man questioned his questioner, "What kind of people did you just leave?"

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The second traveler answered, "Oh, I left a fine town. The people were good and kind and honest and hardworking." The wise man smiled and said, "The people in this town are the same way."

Author John Maxwell teaches a concept called, The Lens Principle. The basic idea is that you and I are walking around with a pair of invisible glasses on our faces; those lenses will determine how we see the world.  

 

IF you are trusting you will see others as trustworthy.

IF you are critical, you will see others as skeptical. 

There is this powerful short verse in the book of Titus which states, “To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled” (Tit. 1:15). This Scripture teaches that the attitude of your heart will determine how you perceive the world.  This is why Zig Ziglar said, “Life is an echo. What you send out, comes back. What you sow, you reap. What you give, you get. What you see in others, exists in you.” 

Is time to get that lens cleaner out?