I’m legally required to wear corrective lenses when driving…and according to my commercial pilot’s certificate, when flying “in critical phases of flight”. I kind of think all phases of flight are critical, but this basically means when taking off or landing. I have a little depth perception problem—which can be kind of a big issue when flying close to the ground—and my lenses literally change my perception.

Metaphorically, all of us wear some lens, or more precisely, lenses through which we perceive the world. And so, we’re never just a neutral observer. Rather, we’re constantly interpreting what’s happening—selecting and deselecting data, adding meaning, making assumptions and acting on them.

Especially when what’s happening is happening to us.

Some lenses are helpful, some not so much; and in Matthew 20:1-16, Jesus tells a story that can help us ascertain the lenses we might be wearing.