Optical illusions - things are not always what they appear to be

If you want to have some fun, look at the following optical illusions:


Two circles of identical size are placed next to each other. One is surrounded by large circles. The other is surrounded by small circles. The orange circles appear to be different sizes, but they are the same.

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The red bars appear to be different shades. It's the relation of the red bars to the background -- white or black -- that makes the shades appear to be different. All the red bars are the same shade.

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In this illusion, the horizontal lines appear to be bent. If you hold a ruler to each, they will run true along the edge of the ruler.

We cannot always trust what our eyes tell us. There's a lot that we see during the day that isn't necessarily true.

For instance the evening news, if we believed our eyes and ears, would convince us the world is a terrible place full of crime, deception, and disease.

However, everyone knows the media news gives a sharply distorted view of the life. It headlines only what is shocking. Very little attention is given to good people doing good things -- which is the reality of life for most of us.

Unfortunately illusions can be fatal. There is the story of a criminal, about 150 years ago, who was the victim of an experiment in which warm water was drizzled over his arm. He was told that he was bleeding to death, and he died because he believed the illusion.

So, how can we be not deceived by illusions? I find it helpful to measure relationships and events against what I understand to be God's nature -- good, caring, loving, fair. If something doesn't conform to God's nature, then it is not to be trusted to have the final word.

And if something isn't conforming to God's reality, I believe we have the authority of Christ to challenge and resist whatever is unlike good. And to expect change.

When friends and I missed our turn hiking down a mountain in Colorado this summer, we saw dismay, discouragement, danger, weariness facing us. But was it real or was it illusion?

Since we felt strongly it was not God's nature to let his children wander, we chose to identify those negatives as illusions. Instead we found gratitude for one small thing, and saw that as evidence of a good and merciful God leading us safely down the mountain. Which it was, and S/He did - gently, patiently, steadily.

Coming down that mountain

Other optical illusions:
http://listverse.com/miscellaneous/20-amazing-optical-illusions/