Seeing the forest for the trees...or something like that

I've never really understood that saying, but I know it has something to do with tunnel vision. Not seeing the big picture. Only being able to go as far as you can see. Most of the time it's in those situations where something seems just horrible. No matter which way you look at it, it's no good. Until you've accumulated a little hindsight and can see how, even if it did truly suck for a time, it had to be like that in order for something else to come out of it. I don't know if that means that when you're a tree, you only think you're a tree, but really, you're part of a forest...because I don't see how being a tree would really be all that awful. But regardless of how it translates, I've been thinking a lot about it lately. It just seems to be a reoccuring theme the past few weeks.

Last week, a film crew from Emulsion Arts came in to tape my students for a new TV show to air on PBS. It's for a brand new show called Raggs, about a dog named Raggs and his friends and they learn about different things each episode (smell, jobs, etc). As part of the show, the dogs always have a music video where the footage behind the song is of real children exploring the theme (smelling various foods, dressing up, etc). And my children - and hopefully me! - will be on one, if not a few, different episodes as the background to the music videos. This is, undoubtedly, an amazing opportunity! The only reason that we were chosen, however, is because one of the children in my class has already been filmed for a few other episodes. His mother is regularly going to casting calls and getting work for commercials and it was through her direction that Emulsion Arts even chose us. How is this a blessing in disguise? Refer back to last spring's blog about being moved to kindergarten if you don't recall. I was so upset and against leaving 1st grade. Where, by the way, I would've never had this awesome and unique opportunity. But of course, I couldn't see it that way at the time. I was just mad and as far as I was concerned, nothing could ever be better than that.

The same theme came to me again this week as I was reading Job. You probably know the story, but just in case, as I like to do, here is my interpretation of Job, though much shorter. And, as no one on earth is possibly named Job these days and quite frankly I can't relate, let's change it to something that's we've all heard of. How about...Dennis. Yes. Here is the story of Dennis (Job) loosely according to Kristin (and also the Bible):

Ahem.

We find Dennis in Chapter 1, immediately having favor with God. It says that he is "blameless and upright" and although no one is perfect other than Christ our Lord himself, we can basically understand that Dennis is a man to be respected. Someone who is well known in the community as a leader. He had 2.5 children, a dog, a house with a white picket fence in the suburbs and a well-paying business job. It also says that he was the "greatest man among all the people of the East." Obviously, a man in position. The boss. And pretty much da'bomb.

So as God's calling attendance with the angels one day, He realizes that satan has come back to Him and He's like, "Um...hello. I banished you. Go back to Earth." But satan is bored and needs something to do so he challenges God with Dennis, saying "Of course Dennis loves you! You've given him a cushion and protected his family. Anyone would love you for keeping them safe in a bubble!" So God says, "Okay. You may not touch him. But otherwise, have at it. I know my children, Dennis included, and I know that he will not turn away from me. So have fun. And get out of here for real life." So the devil goes back to Earth to mess with the unaware Dennis.

A few days later, while minding his own business, checking his myspace, Dennis receives an email, notifying him that his dog has died. And someone else has come along and stolen the lawn mower and weed wacker and grill and all of the other things that help serve him in his house. As Dennis is finishing that email, he receives another one, letting him know that all of the food in his house has gone bad and there is nothing to eat. Nor can he can go get anything to replace it. The next email alerts him that his brothers and sisters have been kidnapped. The next, that his car has been hijacked and stolen. As he's finishing that, another "You've Got Mail" chimes in only to notify him that a strong wind has blown over his house and that not only did all four walls colapse in, but his children were inside and they, too, are all dead. With nothing left on this Earth, Dennis falls to his face and calls out to the Lord, "You give and take away. But my heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name." God smiles upon him from heaven, knowing that he has done no wrong.

Unsatisfied by Dennis' response of praise (rather than turning from the Lord), satan goes back up to God with another excuse, "Of course he hasn't turned on you! He is still safe and healthy! Take that away from him and once he is effected personally, surely he will turn his back on you." So the Lord says, "Fine. Although you took EVERYTHING from him for no good reason at all, he is in your hands. But you may not kill him. Now get away from me and stop acting like a big baby." And satan departs back to Earth.

A few days later, he goes after Dennis again, this time striking him with stage 4 cancer throughout his body. As Dennis is laying in pain, his wife says to him, "Are you still so faithful to God? Why don't you blame Him for what He has done to you and just give up trying to live so at least you won't have to suffer in pain!" Dennis laughs at the foolishness in his wife and says, "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" Sticking, still faithful, to His God.

Fast forward through a few chapters of Dennis talking to his friends. Sometimes getting their take on things, but typically ignoring their "advice" of complaint; always defending his Lord, knowing that He will surely be victorious in the end. Then the Lord comes to Dennis and has a conversation with him about all that has happened. He rewards him for being faithful and never turning his back on God. Not only that, but He blesses him with even more than he had ever had to begin with!

"You thought THAT was a good house? How about THIS one?!" as He snaps his fingers at a multi-million beach-front property. "You thought THAT was a nice car? BAM! You thought you had a cushion of wealth before? How about if I triple that! And you know what, Dennis, for being faithful through the hard times, for never turning your back on your faith when you lost your job and your possessions and your family, I'll even bring them back to you." And God brought back Dennis' family, with added children, even better than Dennis remembered them. On top of it all, God not only gave him all that he could wish for and more, but he allowed Dennis and his family to live a full life so that they could truly experience all of God's blessings. He lived to be 140 years old. He saw his children, his children's children, his children's children's children and his children's children's children's children grow up. And finally at the end of the book it says, "And so he died, old and full of years."

Again, I don't know what that has to do with a forest or trees. (Although if Job had owned any, they would've most certainly been burned to the ground along with everything else.) But I do know that it reminds us of our perspective. We can only see what's in front of us. But God knows it all. He knew that I would come to love kindergarten and that these opportunities would present themselves, but I had to lose my job in 1st grade and allow myself to be moved first. God knew that this wouldn't be the end of Job's world and that everything would be restored to him in the end, even more abundantly than when Job thought he was at his happiest. He just allowed for certain evils to take place first in order that the opportunity for other blessings could manifest.

And the God of the Bible is still God today. He knows what's happening in your life right now. Crappy or not, it may even be something that He's allowing so that in the end, you will praise Him for what He has done. And just like that saying, whether we understand it or not, He's still the creator of the forest and the trees. And He alone can see it all.