Overcoming Blind Spots

Raising teenagers involves many skills, especially in such activities as teaching how to drive a car.

One of the lessons in driving is to understand and discover what a blind spot is. When our teenagers were learning to drive, one of them would need to get into the left lane, only to discover that suddenly a vehicle appeared out of nowhere. As the horrified instructor I wondered how my young driver could not have seen the vehicle. What was so plain and easy for me to see could not be seen by the driver because it was in a “blind spot”. To overcome blind spots while driving, shoulder checks come into play. But how do we conquer blind spots in our personal lives?

At University in one of my courses I learned a concept called the “Jeharvi Window.” It is a definition of who we are. The window is divided up into four parts or four squares. One part of who we are consists of our public self. This consists of things known to us and known to others. A second part of us is our private self which consists of things that are known to us but is not known to others. There is another part of us that is known to others but is not known to us. This area is called our blind spots. Lastly there is a part of us that is not known to us or to others, only God knows. To conquer this area we must be dependant on God to reveal these things to us.

While mentoring young adults in this community, I am amazed at how good the majority of them are at seeing the faults of their fellow group members. Yet when it comes to admitting their own areas of weakness, they are very ineffective.

Jesus addressed these blind spots by telling us to take the log out of our own eye first so we may see clearly to take the speck out of our brother’s eye (Matthew 7:3).

Barbara Wentroble, in her book “Freedom from Deception”, says that one of the reasons people get deceived is because they have an independent spirit. She says, “Every person needs someone to help him see his blind spots. None of us see everything clearly. We were created to need each other. Sometimes reports are heard about ministers who fall into immorality or greed. Later, we discover that they were not accountable to any other leader. They were led away from the truth by their own human nature without anyone to keep them accountable. Being accountable to a spiritually mature group will prevent the enemy from blinding our eyes to deception.”

We may not totally eliminate our blind spots but we can reduce them significantly by receiving feedback from others. Allowing others to point out our blind spots is not for the faint-hearted. It takes maturity to ask for and receive feedback, but it is a tool designed to help you overcome your weaknesses. This is not a time to argue or become defensive, but rather a time to listen. Take some time afterwards to ponder what was said and make a plan to implement a strategy for change.