Reality? Whose Reality? What does it have to do with me? Everything!

This word really gets my attention and even more so here lately. We hear all kinds of stories on the news everyday and we know that they can’t all be true. I understand that there are those who promote lies to further their own cause, but for the sake of this post I am not including these.

What is reality? Wikipedia puts it this way, “the state of things as they actually exist.” Merriam-Webster shows one definition as, “a real event, entity, or state of affairs.”I think this goes a bit further than just the definition. Whose reality are we talking about? We have all heard the story about traffic accidents and the fact that if you have three witnesses to the accident each will have their own story about how it happened. Now the accident, in general, is reality. It happened and there was a certain chain of events that led up to it. In each witness’ mind it was also a reality. Where each person’s reality is different has to do with their state of mind before, during and after the accident. What were they thinking? How do they relate to each of the victims? How do they respond to tragedy? Was there anything similar that happened in their past and on and on and on?

As we read over each witness’ account we discover that their story is different from each other. They might have even been standing next to each other. This is their reality. Is it wrong? Is it the truth? A person’s reality doesn’t have anything to do with the actual truth, but it is a collection of the real event mixed with their emotions and judgments.

Okay, so where am I going with this? I try to live my life by giving people the benefit of the doubt. I believe that people change everyday. If I judge them tomorrow by what I have observed today, I leave myself open to be wrong. First of all, I must understand that what I observed might not have been the total truth. The facts are mixed with my emotions and judgments. Secondly, I might have only seen a part of the total story so therefore, my observation wouldn’t be complete.

So, what do I do? I must rely on the Lord to lead and guide me each day. There is so much coming through the media that we don’t know which story is truth, but there is someone Who does. He knows what is going to happen before it happens. He knows the truth behind every situation and circumstance. He will lead us through each and every day. Quite frankly, I don’t need to address every single thing that comes my way. Most are distractions anyway and it wouldn’t make any difference if I spent any time on it or not. I believe, more than ever before, we need to focus on the things that are really important.

People can change. People change when they feel loved and cared for. Even if they are guilty, they can change. I am not saying they shouldn’t be held to account, but they should be given the right to change and lead a different life. The Lord has a path for each of us to walk. He is the One we are ultimately accountable to. Don’t get caught up in the many voices in the wind. Don’t get distracted. Take time to hear Him and then simply obey. Walk in His peace, love, joy, grace, mercy and loving kindness. If we focus on Him, we will be doing the things and walking in the only reality that is going to matter anyway.

Give out your smiles today. Watch others change before your eyes. Help someone even if it’s just to open a door. People, now more than ever, need to feel your love. We live in a society that teaches independence, but we are a people who are interdependent on each other. We need the hugs. We need to be loved. We need to be heard. The best way to get these is to start giving them. Have a great and wonderful day and life. Jesus is worthy to be praised. His way is true freedom, not religion but a way of life.

Joseph

P.S. Please remember that these are my thoughts and opinions and it is my desire to simply point out some things that might encourage you. If you find something that doesn’t agree with you, please put it on a shelf. It is not my intent to have to be right and to dot every “i” and cross every “t”. It is my intent to share with you that which I have discovered with the hope that somehow it might bring encouragement and strength. Feel free to share your comments. Heb. 10: 25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”