Article November 1, 1999 Issue

A David perspective on Goliath-sized problems

Looking Spiritward speeds healing.

By Steven A. Salt

"Look Out!" I wanted to shout, but before I could even form the words, my four-year-old son ran full-tilt into a huge metal pole. His declaration "You can't catch me" was still echoing in my ears. "I wish I had," I thought to myself as I ran toward him. The impact threw him into a mulch pile where he lay stunned and crying. Turning to God and listening for His guidance provided the insight I needed to help my son.

While at first concerned with his knee, we soon realized that a large discolored bump was quickly forming on his head. Embracing him in my arms and calming his fears, we recited the Lord's Prayer together. He stopped crying. I could see that what I most needed to do to bring complete healing was to embrace a new outlook on the entire episode. I needed to still the mortal voice screaming at me thoughts of danger, accident, pain, irresponsibility, and fear. I realized that this was an opportunity to alter my viewpoint and for us to see ourselves from the higher perspective of spiritual sense.

Have you ever stopped to consider what a key role perspective plays in all aspects of your life? A small stone thrown by a child at play seems harmless enough to you and me, yet to the ant in its path it can be a dangerous boulder. You might recall that it was also a little stone that led to the demise of a seemingly invincible Bible character. Whether fighting on a battlefield or through cross-town traffic, a higher vantage point helps. Yet it's not size and physical vantage point that guarantee success. Look what happened to Goliath! A higher, spiritual perspective is needed in order to see our way clear. Our spiritual perspective determines how we respond to everyday challenges.

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