Blind Spot.

blind spot
(noun)

* “a tendency to ignore something especially because it is difficult or unpleasant.”
* “an area in which a person lacks understanding or impartiality.”

I wonder how much of my life is lived in a blind spot. I tend to think of myself as a fairly evolved, open, rational, free thinking human being yet it is evident that I am missing some important essentials along my journey. How do I know this? Because I have an amazing wife, who has no blind spots by the way (wink, wink), and who is loving and patient enough to point them out to me on a fairly regular basis. 

The problem with blind spots is that they are blind spots! In other words, we are likely to remain susceptible to a blind spot in our lives unless someone is willing to “honk a horn” on the thing that we’re missing. We could go years missing a critical element of life unless that blind spot issue is brought to light. Then, once we are alerted to the blind spot, we have a responsibility to acknowledge it, own it and address it. Unfortunately, many of us are prone to make excuses and justify our blind spots because they are just too difficult or unpleasant to deal with. 

I have this strange thing I used to do related to money and restaurants. I would take my wife out for dinner at a trendy restaurant and we would order a nice meal but I would forego buying myself a glass of wine or cocktail because I didn’t want to splurge for the extra ten or fifteen bucks, yet I would insist that she go ahead and order whatever she’d like. So, her drink would come along with my tall glass of water and I’d feel slightly deprived but frugal and [I think] she likely felt gratified but with a side order of guilt. Here’s the thing; I could totally afford a drink with my meal! What’s more, I would have no problem spending much more frivolously for things way more expensive and questionable! For example, I wouldn’t bat an eye at throwing down several Benjamin’s for a new gadget I’d been eyeing or an accessory for my mountain bike but for some reason, I would struggle with these little indulgences. It was a blind spot and my lovely bride finally called me out on it. Not all that big of a deal really except that once I realized it, I gained new perspective and then this reality helped me to see another “broken” area in my life connected to finances and generosity. I realized that my blind spot related to withholding spending on little things like a drink was also directly tied to a blind spot I had surrounding generosity and giving as much as I should or could to others in need. 

We all have blind spots. What’s yours? Trick question! If you can answer that question, it’s not a blind spot, right? So, here is my challenge to you and I as we press forward toward becoming the best version of us we can be; find someone in your life that knows you well and ask him or her to reveal something that may be lingering in the blind spot of your life. Once your blind spot has been exposed, it’s no longer a blind spot in your life! Thank God for that new revelation and then pray that He will help you learn and grow from this new reality. 

Consider also these two verses in Psalm 139:23-24 – “Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about; see for yourself whether I've done anything wrong—then guide me on the road to eternal life. “ (The Message)

Let’s go get it!