Are you looking at the Big Picture?

Last night I attended a meeting hosted by the Army Corp of Engineers. The meeting was called to address the current concerns regarding Lake Hartwell, specifically the lake level. The Army officer in charge of the project gave a 30 minute speech in which he laid out Lake Hartwell’s current situation and the Army’s response. After the officer (hang with me for a minute, it will all come together) had finished his presentation he opened the floor to questions.

I was thinking, “All good here, great job sir, no questions from me, let’s go!” But apparently I was in the minority. Person after person stood up to address their concerns, many very upset. The officer tried to answer their questions but to no avail. People continued to say, “At my dock..., my boat..., my home..., its not fair, over there they get to....” And on and on! Finally he said, in that forceful Army officer tone, “Apparently some of you are not getting it! You are not thinking about the entire picture. You looking and thinking only about your home, your dock; but I have to think about the entire Savannah River Basin. As the person in charge, I see the whole picture!” There was silence.

And of course as I was riding home God hit me, BAM! He reminded me, “Ike, you are only looking at your life... your current situation... I see the whole picture.” Friend God sees the whole picture, and we should strive to “expand” our field of vision. Look past today... the moment... the situation... look past you! Out of this eternal focus comes comfort, understanding, and purpose. It forces us to realign what really matters.

Thanks to a local Men’s Group who served this past weekend with F2W in Anderson, SC. Their hard work and dedication for two elderly widows is a great example of having an eternal focus. May we each ask God to help us stay focused on the Big Picture!

Ike Boyette