Perception Is Powerful
 

We have been discussing this on another forum and I thought I would start the same thread here for your commentary.

Here is my opening post...

We heard this weekend about a brother who planted a garden.

What he planted was marked "Watermelon" and when he planted it he did so with that understanding.

As the "watermelons" began to grow he saw that little watermelons were starting to grow.

Some would come by and say "Brother... I don't think those are watermelons" and he would reply "Oh yeah... they are definitely watermelons.

More and more comments were made that these weren't watermelons but he never once harbored even a moment of doubt because he knew... absolutely... that these were watermelons.

The watermelons were, admittedly, growing kind of oddly for watermelons.

Finally one day he realized that these were cucumbers. Now that he looked at them they looked exactly like cucumbers. When you look at them you think... how could anybody ever think that they were anything but cucumbers?

But, in his mind, they were watermelons and what he saw each day was skewed by what his mind thought was there.

Perception, predisposition, prejudice and just blind faith...

Their power is mightier than we can imagine.

This is another post from this thread...

This realization has brought me to a place where I question myself as best I can.

Admittedly we are ill equipped for true self examination but a realization of a need for said self examination goes a long way. At least for myself.

I try to keep every doctrine open for evaluation and re-evaluation. The realization of the power of perception lets me know that my judgment of whether something is true or not is, often, nothing more than a comparison against my own experiences & perceptions... and that... my friend... is not a very true measure.

This brings me to continual prayer that God show me truth beyond my own realm of thinking and help me maintain an open mind and an ability to to and fairly weigh what, at any given moment in time, I might not really believe.

This all results in a brokenness before God concerning what I believe having hope only in His promise to lead me and guide me into all truth.

Hey.

That's actually helpful and mature.

Thanks!

Very good point and a very good thread.

Put all things to the test! Hold fast to that which is good!
(Which may not always be traditional.)

Any thoughts you may have on the subject will be greatly appreciated.

Yes sir... I am increasingly pleased to weigh, within the limits of my own level of self deception, any doctrine without fear... as a matter of fact... I weigh them with excitement for 2 reasons.

1. Sometimes God can show you some wonderful things when you study with an open mind.

2. What is truth is not afraid to be weighed.

We should never fear to weigh any belief again and re-evaluate it. What is truth is rock solid and will stand and one often comes out of the experience having seen something greater in what they had held as truth and ones appreciation for the truth is only made new once again.

Amen. And it would seem to be such an obvious thing except for the fact that tradition is such a powerful force, especially when laced with doctrine and fear that states it is wrong, rebellious, and akin to blaspheming the holy ghost and/or man of God to even question it.

This brings up some "discussions" that I am having with my Dad on some topics.... He holds some traditional views while I see what appears to be "obvious" to me. It really helps to look at scripture from time to time and imagine that you have fresh eyes and are seeing it for the first time.

Wow... you have called the recipe ingredient by ingredient.

What power tradition has... the scripture lets us know that through tradition we can make the Word of God of no effect. In so many words... tradition makes us miss the whole point and both the point and the promise are completely missed. I want to not only walk in right truth... but in spirit & understanding of that truth. Tradition can rob that of me if it is tradition men.

Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Good post and thread!

That's what I like about discussing ideas/issues on a Forum, there are many diverse views and they help you to see your comments for what they are and not only for what you want them to be perceived as.

As Keith4Him would probably point out here... we are a body and the whole is a blessing unto itself.

When we all come together with our own thoughts then we find that iron does indeed sharpen iron and we are blessed for having shared our thoughts one with the other.

Sometimes we are corrected... sometimes we are made stronger in our beliefs... but we are always blessed.