Eight strangers, eight different points of view, but only one truth. And what matters most is the one truth. "Vantage Point" (2008), a political action thriller film, recounts a series of events surrounding the "assassination" of a US president on foreign soil from several different perspectives and viewpoints in order to reveal a "truthful" account of what actually happened. In what is unquestionably one of the best movies of 2008, Dennis Quaid led a star-studded cast including Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, William Hurt, and Matthew Fox to light up the screen in one of the most intense political action thriller films of all time.
The saying "what you see is what you get" sometimes does not take the fact that the eye could fall victim to deception into consideration as well as the fact that the eye is also blind to matters of spiritual discernment and interpretation. It is an utter waste of time to even attempt to look at spiritual things through the eyes rather than through the spirit. This is for the simple reason that the eye is given to us for sight rather than for spiritual discernment. Simply put, the eye cannot behold spiritual things. And that is the reason why it is quite possible for a blind man to see spiritual things clearly and those who can see with the naked eyes would miss the same thing by a long shot [John 9: 35-41]. That is simply the essence of looking at things from a spiritual vantage point. It is the point of viewing the purpose of God for our lives as well as for recognizing the same in the lives of the people we encounter every day. It is the window through which God sees us rather than through which we see ourselves and those around us.
When you look at things from a spiritual vantage point you are bound to see images and pictures that cannot be seen with the naked eyes. You are also bound to hear words though inaudible to the ears but are heard loudly and clearly in the spirit [Romans 8:26]. Looking at things from a spiritual vantage point is about insight and discernment. It is about innate perceptions, spiritual perspectives, and interpretation of life’s situations and circumstances. It is the Christian interpretation of things that are otherwise unexplainable. It is about seeking and seeing real answers to real questions. It is about seeking and seeing real solutions to real problems. It helps you see life without shackles. And helps you live life without walls.
Now check this vantage points out; Joshua and the eleven spies saw a prospect rather than a prostitute in Rahab [Joshua 6: 23]. But in clear contrast to the event that led to the fall of Jericho, Eli looking from another vantage point saw in Hannah (Samuel's mom) nothing beyond the picture of a woman perceived drunken and wasted. But if he had looked at her from a spiritual vantage point he would have seen a woman with a broken spirit and a trusting heart [1 Samuel 1: 12-18]. And likewise in Lazarus, Mary and Martha almost certainly refused to see anything beyond the lifeless body of a dead brother, but to the contrary; Jesus saw a sleeping giant and a living legend instead [John 11: 1-46]. And as a result "The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus from the tomb and brought him back to life reported what they had seen. Because the crowd heard that Jesus had performed this miracle, they came to meet him. The Pharisees said to each other, 'This is getting us nowhere. Look! The whole world is following him" [John 12: 17-19]. And that is the kind of stuff living legends are made of. They influence others and they start a movement. People die but movements do not.
Many people that witnessed an event and an occasion that would forever change the entire world could not see twelve powerful men that would later turn the world upside down but only saw twelve men they perceived as mere drunken and wasted fishermen from the sea town of Galilee [Acts 2:7,13].
And of course, Jesus chose to see purpose in Calvary rather than see death. Even the disciples saw hopelessness on the cross but Jesus saw fulfillment. If you are or have been looking at something or someone lately. What or who you see or even what you did not see, would depend on the vantage point that you are looking from. And I would agree with you wholeheartedly if you say "Vantage Point" is a movie with a puzzle. But really to solve the puzzle all you need to do is to pay undivided attention to details as you follow each rewind one at a time. Pause it if you need to take a break or if you even think you are about to sneeze or about to blink an eye for that matter.
In Matthew 16: 13-16 there are five points of view but only one is the truth. Check this out. "When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea, Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They answered, "Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah (Christ), the Son of the living God!" [Matthew 16: 13-16]. And that is the only truth as well as Peter's vantage point of Jesus of Nazareth, son of David, son of Abraham, the son of God.
Less I forget, the President of the United States was not assassinated in "Vantage Point." That is just one out of eight vantage points in the film. What you see is not always what you think and seeing is not always believing. And sometimes what you think has absolutely nothing to do with what you see. Indeed, our lives are guided by faith and not by the things we see [2 Corinthians 5: 7]. Then it makes a whole lot of sense how a blind man can please God while those that can see could be so far from it. And that is what the whole thing about vantage point is all about. And spiritual vantage point? It is looking at people and things through the eyes of God rather than through the eyes of man. And that is the real 20/20 vision. And this has been a page from my Inspirational Files, and I'm Richard James.
Comments