Illusions and Perceptions

Posted on June 7, 2013 at 6:00 am by wpadmin Comments Off on Illusions and Perceptions

Cal Thomas, a conservative, political columnist from Washington DC came to stay with me for a few days, along with his wife Ray. He spoke at a charity ball about his friendship with Loretta Young as well as at Christian Celebrity Luncheons, a group I organized here in the desert 16 years ago. Not only did he speak about Washington DC and the many changes occurring there since President George W. Bush came to town, but he also spoke about the importance of us, the people, needing a heart change back to God and to the morals our country was built on.


We also discussed the issue of illusions and perceptions of TV and its effect on all of us. It reminded me of some years ago when I was driving around the Palm Springs area, looking at all of the new housing developments springing up out of the desert.


As we came down one street, elevated ten feet high above a flat condominium roof stood a fragile looking platform with a shaky foundation made of pipe frame. But even more incredible than the platform were the models sitting in lawn chairs, sipping a bubbly liquid in champagne glasses, smiling inane smiles at the camera as the photographer moved from angle to angle.


From the street level, I looked up to this rather farcical scene. Following the sight line of the camera, I saw the fabulous backdrop of the San Jacinto Mountains, which were all painted marvelous shades of gold and purple, as only the desert sun can do. In my mind, I could imagine the finished photograph (minus the shaky platform and roof tops) spread across the pages of some glassy magazine, advertising the “Leisure Life” in Palm Springs.


The scene was a reminder that no matter what image others have of us, we need to make sure that our life is not built on a shaky foundation, but rather, solidly grounded on the principles Jesus taught us in the Bible.


Luke 6:48 says, “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.” So too, we must establish our lives upon the Rock called Jesus.


Prayer: Father, my Rock, let us not build our lives on “sand” but on the solid rock of Your Word so when the rain & floods come we will not be shaken. Amen.