I Have Blindspots; Do You?

Future lives in the mind

While we fall from behind

Missing light from the trees

Missing you, look at me

From a thought to a sound

From a fear we expound

Give it life, make it breathe

There is nothing that is as it seems

Everybody talk, and nobody listen

Nobody listen, nobody listen

Everybody talk, and nobody listen

Nobody listen, nobody listen

Nobody Listen, Lifehouse

I've been thinking recently about why it is that conversation seems less and less possible among people with opposing opinions.  Have you noticed the same thing? - that it is less and less possible to have an adult conversation with someone who disagrees with you?  I have.  And it seems that the reason is that conversation by nature means movement -- movement toward a conclusion, one way or another.  If people have opposing views, there's a chance that the conversation is going to mean one person is wrong and the other is right.  But there's only a chance of this.  It could be that there is some truth in one person's view, as well as in the other's, and that the overall, most consistent truth is combining both and keeping the most consistent elements (the most likely answer most of the time).  

But movement toward a conclusion like this, via rational conversation, is less and less possible.  And I'm convinced that a major reason (if not the major reason) is one word: Fear.  People are afraid of the feeling of wrongness.  If wrong, they've lost their whole identity, and are all together worthless to the other person and to onlookers.  After all, who am I if someone sees my faults?  (Little do most of us know that everyone else sees our faults all the time, regardless of how hard we work to cover them up).  

As a Christian pastor, I look at the issue I'm describing (an issue from which I am not exempt), and I think it has to do with separation from God.  Because men and women don't have peace with their Creator, they are living life all alone, to fend for their peace by standing up for their principles and standing against those who oppose them.  "Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything," is the sentiment that's been knocked around for years, which sounds good.  The problem is, do we just stand for something, or do we stand for a particular thing?  And if so, what is it?

Jesus can help, because His Word says, "Let every person be quick to hear and slow to speak" (James 1:19).  It appears that the Bible is here telling Christians that their character should include a desire and practice of going to pains to hear people out.  Note that it doesn't say -- nor have I said in this post thus far, and won't -- that truth is relative and Christians should accept some sort of vague nebulous post-modern view of truth which is subject to culture's whims.  But rather, it appears from the sweep of the New Testament that since Christians' standing is unshakably on truth embodied in a Person (Christ the Truth, John 14:6), they can then have open ears to listen up and hear what their neighbors have to say, without fear of looking a fool.

Perhaps the reason is because the Christian isn't so proud that they're unwilling to admit they have blindspots.  Rather, they admit they might.  Truth, by nature, is God's.  And He gives us rebirth through the truth (James 1:18).  Perhaps there is truth in whatever cultural conversation of which we're a part that we're simply missing.  Taking up the cross sometimes means saying to our neighbor, "Help me understand where you're at.  I'm all ears." 

Jesus never acted like that because He didn't have to.  He knew all things about all men.  At several points in his ministry social situations came up with obvious controversial answers, and he was always willing to simply tell the truth.  Yet He never burdened people with unneeded burdens -- He was humbly, gentle, and kind, with an easy yoke and a light burden.  But it was because He knew the truth.  For us, sometimes we need to listen to our opponents to get a better grasp on the truth, so that later we can be better ambassadors for the truth.

Let's start a movement of blind-spot owning, ears-open, I'll-hear-you-out-first-if-you'll-hear-me-out-second action.  But the only way will be if we ask God to help us.  Because only if our confidence is in His power will we fight the temptation to let our confidence rest in our ability to argue better.