Perspectives

^{Ezra 3:10} When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the LORD, as prescribed by David king of Israel. ¹¹ With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD :
"He is good;
his love to Israel endures forever."
And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. ¹² But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. ¹³ No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.



Some people love a good thunderstorm -- the power displayed thrills them. On the other hand you have others like my seven-year-old nephew (and his thirty-something aunt...*ahem*) who get a bit antsy when the thunder starts booming and the wind starts howling. So even about storms we have some lovers, some haters and some inbetweeners.

This passage from Ezra gives an Old Testament example of differing perspectives. The older folks recalled the beautiful temple of the past and saw the new temple as way inferior -- so they wept. The younger crowd shouted for joy in praise to the Lord! They didn't remember the past splendor and only saw the present temple which was far better than the ruins they saw prior to its completion. So the weepers and the shouters mingled and it must have been quite a sound to hear from far away.

Is that shouting?

No, I think people are crying!

Really? It seems like dance music so it must be some happy folks.

No, no, I think I detect sadness - wailing even!

However onlookers sorted it out, it must have really been an incredible sound.


Those Israelites surely did know how to dance and cry with gusto! (Did I just use the word "gusto"?)


How can we apply this lesson on perspectives to things happening today?