Watch the following video. It’s cool, but also has an important lesson.
There is a very simple explanation why the helicopter’s rotors do not appear to be moving.
A camcorder that records moving images is just like your point and shoot camera that only captures one frame or photo at a time. Moving pictures on average cameras are captured from 24-32 frames per second. (Depends on the type of camera and settings you choose to give you different cinematic effects etc…)
The camera shooting the video of the helicopter was recording at a rate of “frames per second” which was faster than the speed of “rotations per second” of the helicopter. Cool, right?
Many times there are simple explanations to stories we hear about others. Sometimes, there are deeper stories which require more listening, context and history. I have been guilty many times of writing someone off because I didn’t have the full explanation. How about you?
The lesson here is hard to swallow, hard to practice, but essential for all relationships. We must take the time and hear the full story. It is easy to draw conclusions and pass judgment simply on seeing a person’s behavior. But God has called us to “accept one another as Christ has accepted you” in Romans 15:7. The way Jesus accepted us was full of grace.
There are definitely times for accountability, but let’s not use accountability as a reason to avoid the hard parts. Listening. Understanding. Forgiving. It’s not easy. But just like the video, sometimes things are not exactly as they appear. It is those times we have an incredible opportunity to go against what others do and impact a life for better.
Questions for you…
- Have you ever been accused of wrongdoing, but the whole story was not presented?
- Have you ever received grace from someone when you least expected it?
- What is the best method to learn the true story and how you can help?
