Video Transcript: Unit 3, Video 3

Well, I hope you have been enjoying listening to Barb. You're going to hear from  her again this time. So welcome to the last segment of this week where we are  going to dive in a little bit more deeply to that application of the perspective of  puzzle pieces. And because Barb is the one who I learned it from, I want you to  hear directly from her. So again, just enjoy listening to what Barb has to teach us about this puzzle piece perspective and how it all kind of ties together this  cultural component and the ideas of when you discover differences, and this  perspective that really is what shapes the rest of how we're going to operate  throughout the rest of this course. So listen up as Barb now teaches, 

Barb - “because this is something that came to my mind as I was traveling and  thinking about puzzle pieces and those words of God that surround our life. So  may this be an encouragement to you, but also another picture to think about.  

One of the things that I will marvel at at my age is how small the print has gotten on the back of like my credit cards and debit cards, you know, call whatever  number, and there is no way I could see it like no way. And it sort of came to  light not too long ago when I came back and I always had this Bible in my purse, and I said to my husband, I don't know my Bible got damaged. It got wet or  something, but all the words in that Bible have gotten smaller. And he said to  me, honey, I don't think you need a new Bible. You need to get your eyes  checked. And so I resonated with that. And I think eye exams can be interesting, if I remember correctly. They can tell you if you're nearsighted, which means you can see the things that are near. They can tell you if you're far sighted, which  means you can see the things that are far so it's about vision, but also, there are some unique tests of vision perception, right? So I don't know if you've ever  seen these. My parents had one of these hanging up on their porch, and if you  stared at it long enough you were supposed to see like, dolphins or zebras or  something jumping around in the picture. And so, you know, it was this  interesting visual challenge that, like, do I see anything in there or not? I never  could. I was always frustrated when people would look at it, there it is, there it is. And I'm like, Nah, I got nothing the other thing. And I'm just perception. So I'm  not sure what you saw when this picture came up. Some people will either see a beautiful woman with a feather in her hair and a very petite nose. Another might  see a much older woman with a shawl and quite a large nose and chin. And  sometimes people can go back and forth between the two, but often, when I ask people, What did you see first? It's 50/50, split. So images are sent to our brain, 

and our brain interprets those one way or another. It's always trying to make  meaning. Well, this struck me because I thought, okay, if we can take tests that  tell us if we are able to see near or are able to see, to see far if there are tests of perception, wouldn't it be cool if we could figure out how to be God sighted like  that, we could put something on and we could actually see things the way that  God sees them, that we would have a glimpse of, like God glasses or something like that. What would it mean to be God sighted. And so it occurred to me that  sort of like puzzle piece lenses. What does that? What does that look like? One  of the, one of the interesting things, I think, is to look at scripture. Is that an  actual thing? So this verse from Colossians. Since then, you have been raised  with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right  hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Focus your  focus your mind in a different place for you died and your life is now hidden with  Christ in God. So our vision, what we look at, what we study, what we think  about, that can be, that can be different than what others may see or think.  Certainly, there are great passages in the Bible. I love this one with Elisha and  his servant. Do you remember this story from II Kings, where the servant, well,  Elisha had been tipping off the king of Israel when other people were attacking  because God would tell them. And of course, that made all of these other  countries pretty upset with Elisha, and so they decided to come and surround  the town and get him. They figured out where he was staying. So Elisha, servant gets up in the morning, goes outside, and he sees that they are just they're  surrounded. They have this vast army. There's no getting out of this, right? So  he goes back inside. I don't know what he said to Elisha, we're in big trouble.  Wake up, whatever. But Elisha prays that God would open his eyes so that he  can see that those that are with them are far greater than those that are with the other people, right? So and So Elisha prays as the servant goes out and he  sees that they are completely protected by these horses and chariots of fire.  Wow. So again, he was able to see things differently after God opened his eyes. I think of another verse too. This one with Samuel, where he was sent to crown  the next king over Israel. Went to Jesse and paraded these people, these sons,  in front of Samuel. And one of them must have looked especially royal,  especially tall, handsome, whatever. And he was pretty sure it was going to be  that one. And God said to Samuel, do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected Him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man  looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. So again, 

we've got this unique picture of our vision with the things of God are sometimes  very different, whether that's a righteous servant, whether that's where we focus  our mind or our heart, whether that's thinking about okay, God's not looking at  that piece. God's looking at something else. How can we take that idea and  think differently about focusing our eyes? So again, I think one of the things that  even if we took all of the students from this course and we all stood together for  a group picture, one thing that people would notice is that we've got a lot of  diversity, right? We might have different colors of skin, we might have different  hair color, eye color, whatever that would be, but we have a lot of difference. I go back to that idea of God knitting us together with puzzle pieces. What we know  about God's creation is that God created us to be diverse, to have different  areas of green, different areas of pink, to have strengths and challenges in  diverse areas, but there's something that's completely consistent that goes  around those of us who are in Christ, and that is the frame of words that  surround our lives. I like to think about that. In fact, I like to think that no matter  what puzzle piece is in the middle, whatever name, whatever person, whatever  one of us is in there, whatever person with whatever area of disability or ability is part of that, the frame of words that surround that person are the same. That  frame of words was not something we earned. It's not something that was part  of our abilities, and so to be called the SALT and LIGHT OF THE WORLD, is a  gift that God gives to us as we are His children. Look at this. We're image  bearers, we're important, we're indispensable, we're secure. No one can knock  us out of God's hand. We're dearly loved children of God. We're heaven bound  travelers. We're honored members of the Body of Christ. And you could  probably come up with a lot more words. We're forgiven, we're good. Scripture is filled with those things that describe who we are when we are in Christ. What a  beautiful gift that frame of words is. And yet, how many people fail to see that  frame of words around certain individuals. I am shocked at times that so often  we can look at an individual and really dismiss them quite quickly. It reminds me  of bargain days, bargain days at the at the at the store down the road, where  they have a discount table, right and there's some clerk that's going through all  of the clothing. And so all this one's flawed. This one should be, you know, full  price, but this one's marked down because there's something wrong with it. And  so easily, almost effortlessly, we can take a look at something and sort it out,  worthwhile, not as worthwhile, you know, worth full price. That's definitely a  markdown, but we do that almost with people automatically. You can pass 

people on the road, you can pass people in a store, and our mind separates  people based on physical qualities. All the time. It's like, okay, that is not being  God sighted, because the truth is the words that surround my friend, who  happens to have zero words to speak, who says yes or no with her eyes by  looking up or down, that participates in the Lord's Supper by getting that super  soggy piece of bread in the back of her we share that same frame of words,  Marie, you are salt and light of the word world. Marie, you're important. Marie,  you're a heaven bound traveler. You're a dearly loved child of God. You're  secure. No one can knock you out of God's hand, but I can stand in the middle  of that frame too. Those same things are true about me. We know that even  within the church for persons with disabilities, there has been way too much  sorting. Oh, yeah, you can come. You're worth full price. You're worth full price of our youth group. Oh, sorry, try the church down the road, cast off material, right? We've made those decisions even within our church programs about who can  stay and who goes and I think, completely ignoring that frame of words that  surrounds each other's life. I think that happened with my father and others with  dementia. It's almost as though, when dad lost his ability to read, yes, he could  read seven different languages and speak five of them, my dad, he couldn't do  that anymore. When he was 92 he couldn't even say my name anymore, right?  There are so many things that happened, but guess what? While dad's puzzle  piece was changing through this thing called Dementia, not one of these words  that surrounded my dad's life changed at all. Isn't that an amazing picture. So I  would really encourage you to be aware of that, how easy it is for us to sort  people by value, and when you have that happen around you, but have that  happen when there are some like marked down people like they're on a bargain  table. May I suggest that that's the time when we have to say, Lord, make us  God sighted. I know that Elijah's servant's eyes needed to be open. Mine might  need to be open now too, or our congregation's eyes might need to be open. I  know that when Samuel was anointing the king over Israel, you said, man looks  at the outward appearance, but God looks at something different. Show me that  different. Equip us with your eyeglasses in order to see that beware within the  world of persons with disabilities of this almost automatic sorting that goes on  with people and expected worth and value of individuals based on that sorting, I  think sometimes, and I've actually done this, I took my own words and I made  myself in My bathroom mirror this sort of frame of words to remind me who I am. Because, let's face it, I don't know about you folks, but sometimes I hopped on 

that bargain table all by myself. I didn't feel as worthwhile. On that day, I was  feeling like a markdown individual, somebody who should be on sale for being  flawed or whatever that might be. Sometimes we need to remember that this  frame of words is for our life too, because God mobilizes and uses us when we  are in that place of being able to be considered for who we are. And so  sometimes I think we need to be God sighted for even our own lives to avoid  that bargain table thing that tends to go on. So I just I wanted to to remind us of  this frame of words. I wanted to remind us of a different application of puzzle  piece lenses, and I wanted to give us an opportunity to just sort of soak in those  words that surround our lives. And and to be on guard that there are sometimes  persons with disabilities that are viewed as those all people, or those people that are bargain table people, and that is not where any of us belongs. How can you  possibly take a person who is dearly loved by God, a person who is  indispensable, a person who is an honored member of the Body of Christ, and  think that they are somehow a bargain kind of person. So as you imagine that, I  would suggest that you take some time to think through the perspective pieces  that we've discussed now within this section of our time. Clearly, puzzle piece  thinking has lots of implications. Has lots of ramifications for when you find out  about a difference. We talked about that through that spiritual journey. We talked about some of those cultural pieces that can happen, some of those differences  that are just part of that whole understanding, renewed understanding of what  that means, but also this picture of who we are in Christ and to maybe use that  to combat some of those other issues that might have been experienced  culturally or in sort of damage control that's done as people are received into  congregational community. How can we keep everybody off that bargain table.  How can we ask God for his vision as we look at individuals in our lives? So  enjoy the work that's part of this course, and I am just excited to hear back from  each of you about how that word disability or some of those differences are  perceived within your community, and the idea of how that fits with something  like this frame of words that surrounds and is tattooed around our lives. I'll close  this with just a story from my father and a reminder in a strong way, to me, my  father was diagnosed with dementia. As I said, he was a learner of languages.  He was a lover of words. That was one of his very favorite things, was to  communicate to people with with words. He taught at a seminary, and he was a  brilliant man. He was also just a great dad. And so I. Was able to watch as dad  was diagnosed with dementia, with how this picture of who dad was became 

very different. And I kept going to dad and finding ways to connect with him and  be part of that life together. And I kept telling myself, Barbara, you need different tools. You need to come with different tools, because to have that connection,  couldn't rely on words. It had to rely on other experiences. And yet, how  important it was to me that I remembered that those words were still around my  father. He would make some remarks that my dad never would have made. He  did some things that dad never would have done. And yet, no matter what  happens on that inner part right of how we can change over time, those words  were clearly around my father. And not only that, I discovered that the things that we did in church, the things of worship, were at the core and at the heart of who  my dad was until the day that you know, he went away from here to be part of  that heavenly place where I am just thrilled that celebrating, that he can be at  that place where he doesn't struggle to use words to praise God, but that that  that's part of his life now in a more full way. But one of the things I discovered is  that some of the limitation was on me. I was too word focused. I was the one  that was thinking about, you know, can you say my name? What a bad question  to ask somebody with dementia. Do you know my name? Really wear a name  tag this, let it say Barb, and I should have said Barb your daughter, right? So, so that we don't have to do that and and also an awareness that to me saying my  name meant he knew me. And yet knowing somebody is far beyond being able  to say their name. Knowing somebody might be knowing the way that they smell or recognizing their voice or their smile or the way they touch your hand or your  face. Knowing somebody is way more than knowing somebody's name. That's  also a multi sensory opportunity. So as I was becoming more in tune with how I  could visit with my dad, using pictures and using the language of worship that  we both still loved so very much, it then became clear to me that somehow the  vision of the frame of words around dad was my vision problem and and that  was the person who had it. And I think many times congregations fall into that  trap as well. Well, that person has dementia. They're they're not the same  person. Well, they've changed. But guess what? To God, they're that person  who's still in that frame. So just one dad story, because it's so beautiful, and  again, something we'll point out as we get to scripture. But dad was a lifelong  lover of the Word of God, and one of the times that I visited, I would sit right  across from him, because field of vision with a person with dementia can  change over time. And I remember sitting there and offering my two hands as a  choice, because he could look meaningfully at one hand or another, and that's 

the one that he would choose. So I said, Dad, do you do you want me to say a  scripture, or do you want me to sing a song? And dad picked scripture. Now this  was after I used up like five minutes of glittering on at him, and I was all done  with my words, but he had very few words to say back to me at that point. At  least I thought he did. I thought that our connection was I didn't I didn't know  what, but I knew we could always do scripture, song, prayer together. In fact, it  had only been a few days before that, that I like said, Hey, Dad, I have to leave.  Would you like to close in prayer? Like, that's really going to work. You know, he  prayed this beautiful prayer that had great meaning. Five complex sentences fell out of his mouth as he prayed this prayer. And I'm like, Oh, the spirit has joined  us in this place and allowed dad to speak these things anyway, it was beautiful.  So I said to dad, which one and he he picked scripture. So I said, Okay, I'm  gonna save Romans 15:13. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace  as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. And I was done, and then dad grabbed my hand, and I said, You want me  to say it again? So I did the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you  trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope. Stop. Interrupted right at that  word, I'm like, Oh my goodness. First of all, this was a very meaningful  interaction. This was a this was a connection we were having. So I listened, and  he said, hope for me, and I'll tell you what, my dad was a master at  conversation. Chose a language that we shared called scripture to steer the  conversation into what he wanted to talk about, which was the hope that we  have in Christ. Jesus, oh, my goodness, I was reminded again at the beauty that was in my father, the beauty of a life that was lived rooted in God, the beauty of  the language we could share even just weeks before his death, and what a gift  that was to be able to talk with my father about that hope. So again, lots of life  circumstances. Sometimes they're very personal. Sometimes they involve  groups of people. Sometimes it's a congregation that needs some reminder. But  it is my hope that we can all be God sighted as we look at individuals, and we  see them within that frame of words, and we see the individuality. We see the  greens and the pinks and all the strengths and challenges. And sometimes  those change over time, like with my dad, sometimes they change quickly over  time, but that we can always view that person for who they are in Christ, and  that we can deliver the kind of respect and honor that each one deserves and  that place of belonging within our congregations. So I hope these pieces have  encouraged you as you think about perspective, as you continue to think about 

that with the homework of this week, and may God truly make you God sighted  for the people that are part of your life, in your congregation and beyond.”