Illusions

By: Russ Jackson

I must admit that I love illusions, what in my day we called magic. To see a person appear from a “seemingly” empty box or to see a specific card selected from a “normal” deck is just amazing to me. The secret, of course, is that you must accept the premise. By that I mean you must accept that the box is empty. You must accept that the deck of cards is normal. It’s the key to being amazed because what the illusionist does is absolutely impossible, which is why I love it so much. Even as an adult I am amazed at much of what we call illusions or magic. I must admit, I like being fooled. However, deep down we all know the empty box and the deck of cards is anything except ordinary.

This same process, however, is being used in many ways today to fool us into believing something that just isn’t true. Someone asks us to accept their premise that “X” is true, therefore everything that comes after that must also be true.

For example, if you don’t agree with me about something then we can’t be friends. This is a popular refrain today. Let me say emphatically that this is stinking thinking!

I am friends with many people that hold opinions that I do not share. I love these people and would never consider breaking ties with them because they don’t agree with me. On the contrary, I hold these people in high esteem, even though they see things differently than I do. It’s how I grow and how I learn about new things. Often these people have considered their viewpoints more deeply than I have mine, but regardless, I don’t expect anyone to change their mind, and that’s okay. In fact, most of the time, if we work together long enough, our thought processes move closer to each other.

Please join with me in being amazed by illusions, but ask yourself this very important question: “What have I got to lose by surrounding myself with people who don’t agree with me?” Who knows, you might actually learn something.

I am going to be brutally honest with you. There are very few things that I know for certain. I know that there is a God, and I know that I am not Him. My opinions are just that, my opinions. They have been distilled by my experiences and the things that I have learned over the years, but those experiences and lessons are often colored by society or the people with whom I spend time or sometimes just by circumstances.

Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life.” That’s where my base is, that’s where I start with every topic and every controversy. If you think differently, let me know. I’m willing to listen to what you have to say and appreciate your thoughts.

I long to hear your story, to see things from your perspective and to share in this journey we call life. Won’t you join me?

Yay God!