When I began writing this blog way back in the dark ages, I never assumed that everyone who read it would agree with me.
About anything.
I did, however, promise myself that I would take any criticism seriously.
Yeah, I know that there are trolls out there. They’re different. I won’t engage with them when/if I see them.
However, serious comments that call me out for something that I write are welcome.
I received such a criticism yesterday.
I don’t recognize the person’s name. So, at first I simply considered dismissing the comment.
I didn’t, however. I approved it for viewing and replied.
Just so everyone understands what I’m doing here, let me explain a couple things.
All of us have blind spots. You know, those areas of our character that we simply cannot see. We need others who can point these out to us. Once they do, we have some choices.
1) We can dismiss them and ignore their observations. This may make us feel good about ourselves for a moment. But, the blind spot is still hidden. We will fail in that area again.
2) There’s the good ol’ American knee-jerk reaction that attacks the other person. If we can diminish them through a counter-criticism we can inflate our own ego and sense of self.
No positive outcome will come of that.
3) We can deny what the other person says. “Who? Me? No way am I like that! You are soooo wrong!”
Again, counter-productive. It keeps us living in Never-Never Land with the other children.
4) Accept what the other person says as plausible and take the time to reflect on it.
This is the course that I choose when confronted with criticism.
This approach forces me to self-reflect on who I am and why I do things.
It also, for me anyway, forces me to seek God’s Spirit to shine a Light on the area that has been questioned. You see, if there is a blind spot that someone else sees, then I need to have Help to see it myself and deal with it.
So, I sit.
I pray.
I reflect.
I ask questions of myself. Particularly, what are my purposes and motivations for writing the things that I do.
Is it pride? Do I want people to see how educated and intelligent I am?
Is it to be known? Do I want to see the number of views continue to grow?
Is it anger? Do I desire to make those who have hurt me pay for their sins?
Is it to shine a light in the darkness of today’s culture and the world?
Is it to truly offer people hope that the hurt they have experienced through religious or cultural abuse may be alleviated?
Is it to reveal the Nature of God that is revealed in Jesus and brought to life through the Spirit to a world that desperately needs to see it?
If I am totally honest, it’s all of the above.
And, more.
The apostle Paul is famous for writing about what we call the “Already, but Not Yet” reality of life in Jesus. Yes, there is truth to the fact that we are already living in a world that has been inaugurated into God’s new world. Jesus is risen. Sin and Death have been defeated.
Already.
But, we are not all the way there. Just look around and it’s obvious. Love has not blossomed all over the world. Hate, distrust, wars, suffering, hunger, etc. are still our lived reality.
Not Yet.
For me, personally, that means that my motivations are, and will be, mixed.
Altruism; Self-Centeredness.
Me; You.
Self; Others.
I can’t help that. Not while living in this tent.
It also means that I need people like yesterday’s critic to call me out when they see something that reveals a blind spot in my life.
I don’t like it. Who does like the taste of the medicine?
But, it’s necessary in this world to have those with the courage to speak out.
So, to my critic,
Thank You.