And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. ² Then He opened His mouth and taught them …  (Matthew 5:1-2)

 Did every person hear what Jesus had to say?

Did each one listen attentively?

Did some only catch a phrase and miss the next when distracted?

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There was an incident. Witnesses were summoned to report what they saw or heard.

—The first witness heard tires squeal and saw a red car turn around and race past him. He could not really see the driver inside but was sure it was a male.

—The second witness was on the other side of the road and caught a glimpse of the driver who appeared to be tall inside this vehicle and wore a baseball hat backwards.

—The third witness saw another man run out of a convenience store with a bag in his hand and jump into the red car that seemed to be waiting outside, but he did not see the driver inside.

–-The fourth witness, the store clerk, said the man forced him to hand over the money in the cash register and then ran out. The clerk was calling the police and never saw the car or the driver.

—The fifth witness was texting in the middle of the street crosswalk and just looked up in time to jump out of the way of a speeding vehicle that did not stop at the sign. He dropped his phone, bent down to pick it up, and didn’t really see what kind of vehicle it was or get a description of the driver.

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Angle of view. Senses of hearing, of seeing. Perspective.

In most incidents, events, and occurrences, we only see dimly.

^“We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly just as He knows us! (1 Corinthians 13:12 The Message)

Our view is an earthly one in all things, while His is from on high, looking down from a clear perspective of the whole—from the very beginning of creation. Christ saw the multitudes and went up on a mountain. He was a witness to everything below Him, seeing and knowing all, and He taught what this representation of humanity needed to hear from that perspective. The lessons are still “heard” today through the scriptures, if we truly listen, for He spoke to us as well.

We are each a witness. What we share in our testimony will depend on our willingness to focus intently on His Words, to see with eyes that want to learn, to hear with ears that want to listen, and to view from a place of least distraction to obtain a clearer and a higher perspective. We, too, must climb the mountain.

(Sharon G. Tate blog 10/08/17) teacherforjesus.com  Meditations on God’s Word