Exposing our Blind Spots

We all have blind spots; attitudes and actions that we take without realizing it.

When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to take Driver’s Ed as an elective. This was a highly sought after class because in the state of New York, driver’s education was not required, but completing a course lifted some of the restrictions laid on new drivers. After completing several lessons in the classroom we were assigned to a small group and an instructor. Our eighty minute block schedule allowed ample time for three drivers per car to each get a turn behind the wheel. 

I was not new to driving. The rule in our house was a new driver had to drive on their permit for a year before scheduling the licensure test. Living in upstate New York near Lake Ontario meant we would have the opportunity to drive in all kinds of weather, especially the tricky winter kind. By the time I started Driver’s Ed, I had been driving for quite a while. I went into this class seeing it as a formality, and a way to get ahead, not as a necessity. 

While I was pretty confident in my own abilities, my in-car instructor was not as impressed. Not long into my first turn driving with her, I remember her snapping at me to stop being so defensive. I can’t recall what corrections she had given me, but clearly I had not taken them well. Her subsequent confrontation about my defensiveness took me by surprise. I hadn’t even realized I was doing it! Her words immediately humbled me words and I changed my attitude. 

An outside voice is often required to make us aware of our own missteps.

This is represented in the familiar words of Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” The word sharpens in Hebrew can also mean be alert or be keen. In other words, as one tool can be used to better another tool, so can one person bring awareness to another for the purpose of improvement or advancement. 

It may feel easier to go it alone but we need each other. Letting someone in takes time, trust, and vulnerability. Creating space to listen and share with someone you care about and know cares about you, is vital for personal growth. It can be a lot more comfortable to spend time discussing the surface things in life. Digging deep and bearing your soul is much harder. Even harder still is being willing to listen as someone gives you feedback that you don’t want to hear. 

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:14-16 that we are supposed to be continually growing in Christ.

There is plenty we can do toward that end on our own. Prayer, Bible study, and personal reflection are a great start. However, some parts of ourselves we will never be able to see on our own. God often uses those we trust to show us the areas in ourselves that need some work. Without community in our lives, we miss out on opportunities for growth. 

My husband is my best friend and an important part of my community. Several family members also play an important role in speaking into my life. However, I have to admit that I am not always open to what they have to say about me, either good or bad. Many times I have exasperated my husband by sharing a great revelation I learned from a friend only for him to remind me  he has told me the same thing repeatedly. Somehow his words never got through but the words of my friend did. Close, trustworthy, Godly friends are an important part of continuing to grow in our walk with the Lord.

Do you have at least one person in your life outside of your family with whom you can be completely real?

If not, start praying today that God would bring that person or group of people into your life. Don’t miss out on the lessons God has for you by living life in isolation. 

_{Originally posted July 1, 2022}