Have you ever played the board game “The Game of Life” with a seven year-old?  For me, it definitely brought an interesting perception to how a child perceives what happens in life.  This young boy described the various life events as follows:

• “Visit in-laws” means “the person becomes president.”
• “Taxes due” allows the player to “receive money.”
• “Go[ing] on your honeymoon refers to “going to a festival and looking at the moon.”
• When “you don’t have enough money” for an expense, “you don’t have to pay.”

This situation is just one example of the portrayal of how perceptions affect us.  As I reflected on these comments, the image of a flashlight came to mind, shining only in the direction in which it is being aimed.  An individual’s perception is like that of a flashlight; the person may only observe and comprehend on what he or she is focused.  However, the more “flashlights” we add to the situation, the more perceptions and the bigger the spectrum with which we see, thus, the greater our focus when we concentrate in the same direction.

Lord, shine ahead of us on a daily basis, and bring greater clarity in every situation we face.  In Your name we pray, Amen.