A Speck on a Rug

When we can’t wrap our brains around life and death, a Godly perspective can help.

Perspective. There’s nothing like death to center the soul and provide a healthy dose of perspective on life. 

We were sitting at Chili’s when my phone illuminated with the notification that Kobe Bryant had been killed in a helicopter accident (we later learned his daughter tragically went with him). There were nine total deaths in the accident. Moms, daughters, husbands, and sons.

This was the first time a celebrity my boys look up to had died. The looks on their faces were so confused. The questions quickly flowed from their minds to their mouths. “Why? Why would this happen? Why would God allow it? What’s the purpose of that?” 

The reality is that this happens every day. People lose husbands, wives, parents, siblings, and children on a daily basis. This is a harsh reality of the broken world we live in. Exactly like my kids, I’ve often been in that place of wondering why. My heart has shattered for loved ones lost and tragedies that have hit way too close to home. In those tender moments when I’ve turned my wondering eyes to God full of fear and questions, He has comforted me and gifted me with a small glimpse of His holy perspective on death and life, and I try desperately to impart that to my children.

A Speck on a Rug

“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14

Our lives are merely a vapor in the wind. Our perspectives are limited; our view totally restricted. I often catch sight of the tiniest speck on a rug and liken that to our entire existence on earth. (I mean, honestly, there are usually lots of specks and I pick a kid to vacuum. But, that’s beside the point.) The rug in its entirety is eternity, the big picture. We are only able to see the speck. That’s all we know. The speck is our whole 100 years or less. Our perspective starts and ends there. God, on the other hand, sees the whole rug. He knows far more than we know; sees far more than we see.

A Moment in Time

To consider our lives from the perspective of time, I think of our lives as an hour-long party on any given day. We may just stop by for 15 minutes or so, or we may stay the whole time. We may have fun, we may think the party totally stinks, but it’s just an hour or less, so we have much more to look forward to. We don’t center our lives around the party; it’s just a small part of the day. Our time here on earth is just a tiny bit of time compared to the eternity that lies ahead. May we be ever-mindful of the impermanence of our human bodies, and focus rather on things that last. 

An Eternal Perspective

To get a grasp of eternal perspective, the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible is a great one to study. King Soloman literally had it all. He was blessed with everything God has to offer us on this earth, and over his lifetime he came to realize that everything that this world has to offer is meaningless. He like, really drives that point home in this book. I mean really.

Do you know how often I forget this God-granted perspective on life? Do you know how often I get totally consumed in the things of this world? I catch myself chasing after the wind far more than I’d like to admit. The truth is, this earthly life is all we really know so far. But, in faith, we can grasp hold of an eternal perspective, allowing God to help us focus on things that are eternal rather than just that one speck on the rug. 

What Matters? 

The Bible tells us we have two main goals: Love GOD and love others. How much of what we do is centered around those two things? If your busy, self-centered life looks like mine, it may look a lot like loving work, money, things, activities, food, sleep, leisure…ugh. My list is a lot longer than loving God and loving people. When I’m yet again awakened to this perspective, I center my soul and ask God to bring into my focus His eternal purpose for my life. 

Let’s vow again to love our people well. Let’s let the little things go. Let’s say yes to our kids more often. Let’s slow down. Let’s linger with our spouse a little longer. Let’s make time for lunch with friends. Let’s not focus so much on things that pass away, but focus more on loving God and loving people however we can in each moment.