A Better Perspective

As a programmer, I so often find myself attempting to solve a problem to which I know only the symptoms. Something isn’t working correctly, but I didn’t write the code or don’t quite remember how the code works. 

As a result, I have to go through the process of discovery, attempting to understand the code to determine where the problem lies. But it’s easy, sometimes, to jump in and assume to understand it, and begin taking steps to solve the problem (or bug) by making alterations that seem right.

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 16:25 NIV

What I quickly discover, in such cases, when my “fixes” don’t create the anticipated change, is that I didn’t have all the facts. I didn’t see the whole picture, and was attempting to address the symptoms instead of the problem. 

Since the change I made didn’t fix it, I know that there’s more to the problem than I first realized. I was looking for a clever “quick-fix,” but instead I exacerbated the issue by introducing an unnecessary change. (Physicians and mechanics must often endure this same process.)

At this point I must take a little more time analyzing the problem to see where the true problem is. Then, suddenly, I recognize that little block of code that appears to be the culprit. I reconsider the larger issue, and can quickly see how this little mistake has corrupted the whole result! “So there’s your problem,” I think (and often say out loud). So I make the necessary changes,  test my solution, and tada . . . nothing’s changed. It’s still broken. I still didn’t see the full picture.

I repeat this process, and each time, I’m 95% sure I’ve determined the problem, only to discover that my fix changes nothing, and all I’ve managed to do is eliminate one more possible cause. Convinced I missed something (obviously), I shift my perspective and attempt to consider other possibilities, however ludicrous or unrelated. Sadly, I must repeat this process until I’ve eliminated all other possible causes, until only the true cause has been exposed.

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Sherlock Holmes

What’s interesting is that only through this process of trial and error can I determine the true cause of the problem. At which point, I can say, “Duh! Of course, now I understand the problem exactly. I should have seen it earlier.”

But the reality is that I couldn’t have seen it before, because I didn’t have all the information. I had only a subset of the facts, and was trying to make a determination based on incomplete data. Only by trial and error could I eliminate the other possibilities and identify the true source of the issue.

I am attempting to make a judgment without all the facts. I am literally jumping to the conclusion without considering (or knowing) all the possible things in between that are contributing to the problem.

Too often, my pride and arrogance corrupt the way I interpret information, causing me to use what’s still incomplete or corrupted as the basis for my actions. It’s my nature, I know, especially as a man, to want to fix things and be the hero. I think all of us, really, have that in us. We know instinctively that the world is broken, that things are not as they should be. All around us we see things operating in opposition to what’s right, and we either hope to be the catalyst for fixing it, ask God to fix it, or we look the other way hoping it will take care of itself.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Alexander Pope

For me, practically speaking, this happens daily. Oftentimes I get “lucky” when my educated guess is right the first time, and I don’t have to give my pride a second glance. But just as frequently, I trip over that same pride, falling either with my foot in my mouth or with some other extremity stuck in some other orifice.

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. James 1:19 NLT

Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. Proverbs 17:28 NLT

Just this morning, as I was stopped at a red light ready to turn, I looked left at approaching cross-traffic awaiting an opening to go. All of a sudden, the semi-truck to the left of me began to lurch forward into the intersection. “Nope, you dope,” I thought, “not yet.” Of course, I instinctively turned my gaze to see that our light had since changed green, and that he had seen something I hadn’t. So quick to make a judgment when I don’t have all the information!

This can extend to getting hurt by people—even strangers—by word or deed, and allowing that hurt to create frustration, anger or resentment. We allow ourselves to be hurt by others only when we are consumed with our own well-being. When we are most self-centered is when we are most vulnerable to injury.

Instead, when we think of others more highly than ourselves (not thinking less of ourselves), we can more easily consider the circumstances that brought those others to the moment in which we just happened to find ourselves. This wasn’t our moment that they interfered with, it was actually their moment that God allowed us to be a part of. For when the time comes that is our moment, wouldn’t we want God to allow someone else, even a stranger, to love us through it?

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Ian McLaren

Remember, we never have the whole picture. With every step we take, we only see what we can see from our own unique perspectives—filtered through our own long history of trials, disappointments and tragedies, just as well as our successes, triumphs and milestones. There is information missing from every decision and action we must take. With every step and with every word, there is more to the story than meets the eye. We can’t know what we don’t know until it is revealed to us. So we must tread confidently, yet with care; we must speak boldly, yet with love. 

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2 NLT

Throughout His ministry, especially near the end, Jesus spoke many times about things that were to come, things that had not yet been fulfilled.

At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. John 12:16 NIV

But it wasn’t until after things were complete that they had a new perspective, and everything made sense.

Now that very day two of [Jesus’ disciples] were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. While they were talking and debating these things, Jesus himself approached and began to accompany them (but their eyes were kept from recognizing him) . . .

When he had taken his place at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Then he vanished out of their sight. They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while he was speaking with us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us?” So they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those with them gathered together and saying, “The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.
Luke 24:13-16, 30-35 NIV