I’m cleaning out a very jumbled dresser in the nursery, and I say to my four-year-old girl, “Desiree, why do you make such a mess in your drawer?”

“I like it messy,” says Desiree. “Because then I can’t find the clothes that I don’t like!”

I giggle and keep sorting out too-small or too-stained clothes, straightening what is left into neat piles.

Later I thought about her words again. Perspective, I thought. She saw the positive side of the situation, and I saw the negative. Indeed, I would have never thought of her reason why a messy drawer might be good!

Even though I still prefer her clothes to be neatly organized, the incident was a reminder to me that a change in perspective can completely alter how we experience life. Sometimes there’s a good perspective that we’ve never even thought of.

This Christmas season, ask God for a new perspective on the birth of Jesus. Ask Him to show you something you’ve never thought of. God likes to speak to us, and He likes to give us a fresh perspective.

A side note:  In the new year, I would like to write a series on hearing God’s voice. Not because I am an expert at it, but because it’s something I care about very deeply. I’m hoping to look at a variety of aspects such as: what prophecy is, simple spiritual exercises that help us grow in hearing God, common misunderstandings, and some personal experiences. I want to hear from you, too. How do you hear from God and what has helped you grow in that area? I’m looking forward to discussing this together.