What Comes Into View When We Change Our Perspective
In a novel, the point of view depends on who tells the story and how it is told. When the narrator appears within the story, it is told in the first person. When the narrator remains outside the story, it is told in the third person. The point of view is further defined by whether the narrator is the protagonist, an observer, or an omniscient narrator who knows the thoughts and feelings of every character. A story told from the first-person point of view of the protagonist can vividly reveal the protagonist’s inner world and draw readers deeply into the narrative. By contrast, the third-person omniscient point of view can portray the inner lives of both the protagonist and the other characters in detail, while also analyzing the circumstances and conveying the author’s intended message clearly.
What perspective do we take in viewing life? Most people live and make judgments from the first-person perspective. It is important to focus on our circumstances and take initiative in carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to us. However, when problems arise, considering only our own perspective can easily lead us to direct the blame toward others. We may feel that we alone are doing all the difficult work while others have it easy, or we may search only in systems and surrounding circumstances for the reasons behind our failures.
What would we see if we viewed the situation from a third-person perspective? Through an experiment, Jason Moser, a professor of psychology at Michigan State University, concluded that describing one’s state from a third-person perspective creates psychological distance and helps regulate emotions. We can imagine ourselves as one of the characters in a novel and consider what emotions that character is experiencing, what caused those emotions, what roles the other characters are playing, and how the situation is affecting those around them. When we calm our minds, take a step back, and look at the whole picture, we gain a broader perspective. This helps us understand the situation and approach problems with a more open mind.
The Bible contains the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Mt 20:1–16). The owner of the vineyard called people who had been standing idle outside and gave them work in his vineyard. At the end of the day, he paid the same wage to everyone—those who had begun working early in the morning, those who had joined partway through the day, and even those who had entered the vineyard only an hour before the work ended. From the first-person perspective of those who had worked since morning, it seemed only fair that they should receive more because they had labored longer. When they received the same wage as those who had worked only briefly, they felt wronged and resentful. Let us consider the same situation from another perspective. The owner paid everyone exactly what he had promised. Moreover, those who entered last may have been so grateful to the owner for giving them work that they labored wholeheartedly, completing in a short time the amount of work normally done in an entire day.
As we carry out our gospel duties, our own labor may sometimes seem greater than that of the other members. However, since we are not omniscient, we cannot know every circumstance. In the eyes of Almighty God, the one who plants, the one who waters, and all who labor for the gospel are equally precious and beloved. God remembers every effort of those who overcome their trials and remain faithful to Him, and He rewards each person according to what they have done (Rev 22:12). Thankfully, although some labor may go unseen, no labor is ever in vain (1 Co 15:58). Let us give thanks to God, who called us—sinners—and entrusted us with this precious mission. Let us view our work from the perspective of the Owner, who awaits the fruit produced by every drop of sweat. Then we will see our brothers and sisters faithfully doing their best in the positions entrusted to them as we look forward to receiving the crown of life together.
