G.K. Chesterton was a razor-sharp witted social commentator in England (circa 1890-1930). Famous for his pithy quotes, he said, "Shall I tell you the secret of the whole world? It is that we have known only the back of the world. We see everything from behind, and it looks brutal." This is somewhat like the "back side of a tapestry" view where all of the threads are in crazy disarray, while the top side is a grand work of art. I think Chesterton is helping us realize we can have a more upbeat attitude about life if we see it from the frontside. In other words, see it from where God sits which requires a wild and child-like faith. Note: the back side of the world would say that life is brutal, therefore God is brutal. But aren't we judging God by the back side of world, instead of who He really is?
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