Back in 2015 a perplexing phenomenon took over social media and challenged what many claim to be absolute and true. The topic was a dress, and a picture of that dress had some seeing white and gold, while others saw blue and black. The magnitude of difference between these two color schemes had each opposing side disbelieving one another. How could it be possible two people could see this dress so differently? (Here is a short video that claims to make sense of it all)
I admit to seeing the dress white and gold. No matter how hard I try, I cannot see it as blue and black (what do you see?). However, I believe that there are others who do see what I am not able, in this case blue and black.
We can learn something very important from this contradictory assessment of color. We could argue until the cows come home about who is right and who is wrong without realizing both can be right. It depends on how you see, and not what you see. The dress is seen by all, in every detail without variance, except for the color. It appears our brains process the picture differently, yet it is the same picture. It is the perspective of the individual not the substance of the image that is different.
We can look upon Almighty God in Trinity: the Father, The Christ, the Son of the Father, our Lord Jesus, the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God, the Comforter-all with nuance based on life experience affecting one’s perspective. We must be careful to understand others’ eyes may see something different than our own, and yet both our perspective and theirs are still without error. The only thing we need to be certain of is that we are both looking at the same Image.
When we all see the dress, and differ about the color, our disagreements are inconsequential. However, if we disagree about the image itself (as in debating whether or not the image is of a dress), then there is a significant problem. This distinction must be kept in mind when walking together, because thinking we all understand and perceive God’s work in our lives as identical in every respect (or only as we see it) can cause great harm to our brothers and sisters (and to ourselves as well).
So no matter whether one sees the dress as white and gold or blue and black, as long as they both see the dress, they’ve agreed on the most important part. That’s why the creeds are so important, they contain the most important part, and confessing the creeds allows us to walk together (Review the creeds here).
Now, let us also consider how the Lord looks upon us, here’s a verse for today:
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)
Almighty and Most Merciful God, give us the eyes to see you, ears to hear you, minds to know you, and hearts to love you. AMEN.