Blind Spots

“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” – Hebrews 3:13

There’s a communication tool called the Johari Window. It consists of four quadrants: the top is labeled “self” with the left-hand column labeled “known to self” and the right-hand column “not known to self.” The left side is labeled “others” with the top column labeled “known to others” and the bottom column “not known to others.” 

The upper left quadrant is the “Open Area”: this is behavior known by you and acknowledged by others. Most communication occurs here. The lower left quadrant is the “Hidden Area”: things you know but keep secret from others. The lower right quadrant is labeled “Unknown”: the part of yourself that both you and others are unaware of—we could perhaps call this quadrant “known only by God.” This is the you that only God knows and sees. Finally, the upper right quadrant is the “Blind Spot”: what you are unaware of but others can see.

It’s interesting to note that, no matter how enlightened about yourself you think you are, there is a whole side of you that you are unaware of. There are things about your character, your personality, your behavior that only others, or only God, perceive and understand. Much of our ability to grow, individually and in relationships, is dependent upon our willingness to recognize this and be open to receiving feedback. Dave and I particularly feel this when it comes to parenting: as adults, we see blind spots in how our well-meaning parents may have raised us, and we figure we are inevitably doing the same, so we try to invite feedback from those closest to us about our parenting when we can.

This verse points out another element at work in our ability to perceive ourselves: the deceitfulness of sin. Sin works to blind us more and more to its true nature. It blunts not only our ability to perceive the truth, but to feel any desire to change. The word for “hardened” here is the same one used to describe the heart of Pharoah; it means “to render obstinate or stubborn.” This is not an overnight process; it happens gradually. Our daily choices matter. How long we wait to perceive the hardening work of sin matters. These are particularly difficult blind spots for us to see. And so the author of Hebrews says, exhort one another today, now; don’t wait. Be willing to probe the blind spots of others and to receive feedback in those areas yourself.