Take a look from someone else's perspective

There is an episode of Leave it to Beaver that I enjoy watching whenever it comes on. Usually an episode from this series revolves around something Beaver has done to get himself into a problem. But this particular episode is a little different. In his easy-going manner, Beaver strikes up a conversation with the nice trash man who stopped by his house. 

As it turns out, the trash man tells Beaver that he has two boys about the same age as Beaver. Somehow during the conversation, an invitation is extended to let Beaver ride in the garbage truck over to this man's house to play with his boys. Beaver's mother is somewhat concerned about it because they live on the other side of town, but Ward assures June that he knew the man and he's very nice. 

A few hours later, Beaver is returned home beaming and excitedly talking about all the fun he had over at their house and playing with the boys. Then he goes on to tell Mom that he invited the boys over to their house the next day. He extends the invitation before asking permission. June is hesitant, but agrees with Ward's assurances. Big brother Wally said he had other plans and wasn't interested. 

Fast forward to the next day, the trash man's boys came over for a visit. Suddenly Wally and Beaver began to see things through the other boys' eyes. An abandoned wood project became something fun to do. Lying under the tree staring at the leaves and sky became something beautiful and relaxing. The other boys told Beaver his mom looked like a movie star. Wally decided his other plans could be pushed aside for this new adventure. 

The whole point of this episode is seeing things through someone else's perspective. What is taken for granted somehow becomes beautiful or fun or exciting. It is the same old stuff, but seeing it from someone else's perspective gave everything new life. There was a genuine appreciation and warmth for Beaver and Wally's family and home by the end of the episode.

This week, like many of you, I have been watching social media videos from visitors of other countries to the USA. Many of these visitors had the wrong impression of the United States because they only saw it through the filter of bad news reports, the wild imaginations of movie scripts and television shows. They assumed that the people of this country were all like what they see through a screen! 

I've been saying this for many years: people across the world have no idea what the real America is like and what the people are like. But now, with so many world visitors here using the cameras built into their phones, they are recording the real America. By and large, people are kind and friendly. We have Buc-ee's, 24-hour Waffle House, and Ranch Dressing. They were also amazed by such freedom we have to create, to choose, to pursue our dreams. It's all stuff that we take for granted. 

We also have small, patriotic towns that are clean and safe. These visitors are amazed because they had no idea and were led to believe that we live in a dystopian society like so many of our books and movies portray. The national news services only seem to report the bad stuff, so that also heavily influences the negative thoughts about us.

It is so refreshing to see through their eyes what they are seeing. Friendly conversations between locals and visitors. Neighbors helping neighbors. Waffle House and Ranch Dressing. And visitors to our country cleaning up after themselves because that's what you do when you visit someone in their country! We can all learn from these things. While America is not perfect—by any stretch of the imagination—it is a place rich in heritage. Our founders believed in liberty.

On the eve of our nation's 250th Birthday, I have been taking in all the historical significance of this country—this grand experiment and its origins. This country is not perfect and I don't agree with everything that our leaders say or do, but I also believe our differences is what has made this country strong. We pursue our dreams,  we raise families, help neighbors, and we build communities. Because I don't want to make this post divisive or political, I will stop there. As it says in Philippians 4:8, 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, 

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, 

if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 

I will finish this by saying that I had a very similar experience to Beaver and Wally several years ago. A coworker had an opportunity to visit the area near where I grew up. When he returned from his business trip, he talked about how beautiful the country roads were. The corn was growing right up to the edge of the road and taller than him. The land was so flat that you could see for miles. The sunsets were beautiful. Hmmm. All things that I thought were pretty dull, to be perfectly honest. I saw these things my whole life and took them for granted. However, hearing the way he described what he saw helped me to see things from his perspective. Now I can look at these ordinary things from his perspective and I enjoy those views so much more than I did before.

Be sure to take a look at your world from someone else's perspective. You'll be glad you did.

Happy Birthday to 

the United States of America.