Blind Spots
I was scared this week- really, really scared. I saw something that so frightened me, it threw me back and stopped me cold in my tracks. What I saw was ugly, threatening and dangerous. It was large, intimidating and daunting. “What was it?” you ask. Spots! I saw spots.
Oh, I have seen spots before that have freaked me out-AGE spots… well just one, but it was there and its presence was horrifying. But I digress… It wasn’t age spots this time that floored me. I have seen other spots too; sore spots, weak spots and soft spots but none of them shook me like what I saw this past week. I saw BLIND spots. A rare occurrence indeed!
Blind spots don’t show up very often. They hide, camouflaged nicely in their environment. But this day it was there, right out in the open- a visible sighting. I should probably mention that the blind spot I observed wasn’t my own- perhaps that is why I was able to see it. Blind spots by nature are hard to detect when they belong to you. They are much more evident to the onlooker. And that’s what I saw that scared me so -a blind spot in the life of another, yet clearly observed by friends and family. The scary part, however, was not that a blind spot appeared out of the thicket of her life, for we are all armed with the knowledge that we have them. At least we should be. We may not know what it looks like-how spooky, distorted or obnoxious our blind spot may be-but we better be aware that it is there, lurking around in the secret places, showing itself to others but keeping us safely in the dark. No, the truly terrifying part was that what was clearly tangible to us was completely invisible to her.
Now I know that spots are sneaky. One minute they are there-visible, touchable, noticeable-and the next minute they fade away, leaving you to wonder if you really saw them or felt them. That’s the assignment of spots; Get in and get out as quickly as you can.” But that day those blind spots were sluggish and they stayed around and stayed around until it was so blatantly obvious something had to be done. So we tried. We tried to carefully uncover those blind spots and bring them to her attention. You see, once a blind spot is revealed to its possessor, it becomes declawed, and moves into a new category of spots called “weak spots I am working on.” That was simply the goal that day- to help someone see that her blind spot was destroying her life, her relationships and her successes. Such havoc this blind spot was creating! It had to be harnessed and captured. It had to be tamed.
What happened next was frightening. You have never heard such a clamor. Let’s just say the introduction did NOT go well; “Owner this is your blind spot, Blind spot this is your owner.” There was definitely no love connection here. The introduction was met with intense rejection, denial and great hostility. It was instantly dismissed as our problem. We were informed that this was our distortion and insanity. No merit was given to this blind spot at all. Instead we were written off for even daring to escort it to her conscience. We we’re dissed on all fronts- dismissed, disrespected and disbelieved. Had we not quickly gotten out of there, we may have been dismembered as well. Yes, I was scared. Scared for her and her future of course, but more scared for myself. “What are my spots like?” I shuddered to think. I left there determined. “I want to see my blind spots,” I decided. “I don’t care how ugly they are or how many they have grown into, I WANT to see them.” (Blind spots travel in packs if left unnoticed.)
I still feel that way. I want to know how I am perceived. I want to know what others see that I am blind to. I know it will take the eyes of others to catch my spots. But I want to know, no matter how vicious they may be. It will take the willingness of a few brave souls to make the introduction, but I am ready. I can only become better for it, more refined and less abrasive.
I can’t live with the notion that I am spot-free, and neither can you. Why not take the challenge and invite a few faithful friends to be on the lookout for your spots? Don’t let fear or pride stop you from becoming better. Do it now, before you get “voted off” the island! Here’s to happy hunting.
How to catch a blind spot
1. Search light of the Holy Spirit - Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
1. Faithful Friends- Proverbs 27:6
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful.
1. Humility to hear it- James 1:19
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…
1. Trust to accept it- Proverbs 2:1-6
My son , if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.