Perception is reality

THis is a truth that I have sought to teach our young people for years. Think about that statement, Perception is reality. Think about your co-workers, your acquantances, your fellow church goers and how your perception molds the way you think about them.
I have many times met people and at first impression or first glance thought one way about them. I have met people in the church that seem to care very little for the church. They don't seem to imput much, they don't seem to offer to do a lot around there, it just seems as though they are content with pew sitting. Then, something happens and it gives me the opportunity to get to know them better and boom! It hits like a ton of bricks, my complete opinion of them is forever changed.
It's important that we think of these things when we are going about our business. We need to remember that perception for many is reality, and there are so many people that we work with that we will never be able to get to know well, therefore what they see of us is what they believe to be true of us.
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of Truth.
We need to be ever so diligent in the way we present ourselved to others, so that our actions can be approved by God. If we spend time immulating the things we study in Gods word then this will filter over into the way we act and interact with others.
This is a story that tells us how to think about others as well. It was written by a young man in the military upon a ship.
Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was extremely poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all of the activities.
Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, "Light bearing on the starboard bow."
"Is it steady or moving astern?" the captain called out.
Look out replied, "Steady, captain," which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship.
THe captain then called to the signalman, "Signal that ship; We are on a collision course, I advise you change course 20 degrees."
Back came a signal, "Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees."
The captain said, "Send I'm a captain, change course 20 degrees."
"I'm a seaman second class," came the reply. "You had better change course 20 degrees."
By that time, the captain was furious. He spat out, "Send, I'm a battleship. Change course 20 degrees."
Back came the flashing light, "I'm a lighthouse."
We changed course.
In this story the young man was perceiving what was on the other side of the light, instead of investigating it. We need to be careful of what we give off as far as a perception, and we need to be careful not to perceive others until we get a chance to know them. It will most likely change our course!
Thanks for reading and have a great day.