It’s Difficult To See My Mistakes

For regular readers of ThePreachersWord, it’s our hope and prayer that you’re receiving encouragement, edification, and accurate scriptural insights.

However, I know there is something else you receive on a regular basis. A chuckle. A bit of humor. Maybe some minor annoyance. Or even possibly complete distraction.

No, I’m not talking about some joke or story, but the mistakes, misspelled words, typographical errors, and incorrect or missing punctuation that all too often finds their way into these posts.

Some may wonder, “Weliever, do you proof these posts before you publish them?” The answer is “Yes.” In fact, usually two or three times. However, I find it difficult to proof my own material. (An understatement you may be thinking). It’s so easy to read over my mistakes, because I know in my own mind what I intended to write.

Fortunately, I have some help, both from my wife and a friend to somewhat minimize, if not eliminate most mistakes. However, too often I publish the post before either one has an opportunity to proof it. (Incidentally, afternoon and evening readers may be seeing a better and corrected version.)

In thinking about this challenge, it occurred to me that our personal flaws, foibles, and errors are often the same way. It’s difficult to see our own mistakes, shortcomings, and sometimes even obvious sins.

We often think we’re better than we really are. Our ego gets in the way. Failing to heed Paul’s warning in Romans 12:3 we may think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think.’

Of course, there are intertwined emotional and cognitive reasons along with our level of spiritual maturity or the lack thereof. It’s easy to be biased and fail to see our blind spots. Jesus’ denunciation of the self-righteous religious leaders to open their eyes and ears to really see and really hear is one we often need to heed (Matt. 13:15).

A lack of perspective, awareness, and personal insight may cause us to overlook the obvious. We’re too close to our own attitudes and actions to objectively evaluate them. Knowledge alone will not solve this problem. It’s necessary to grow in discernment (Phil. 1:9-10).

No doubt, a myriad of other reasons could be offered. Some are just oblivious. And spiritually speaking their eyes have been blinded by Satan and sin.

So, what are the answers? How do we get better in seeing our mistakes?

#1 Cultivate a Spirit of humility.

Pride obstructs our ability to clearly see ourselves as God (and others) see us. Instead of justifying our mistakes, humility encourages us to reflect, learn, and change. Humility eliminates arrogance and self-defensiveness, and allows us to say, “I was wrong.” “I can do better.”

#2 Engage in Regular Self-examination.

The Bible admonishes, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Cor. 13:5).

The word “examine” means to “test” to “scrutinize” or to “prove.” Vincent says the word “implies a definite intent to ascertain their spiritual condition.” Consider these questions to begin the examination.

• Do I truly love God with all my heart, soul, and mind?
• Do I care about and show compassion for other people, especially the less fortunate?
• Am I practicing the one another commands to accept, encourage, edify, exhort, admonish, comfort, and forgive one another?
• Am I daily seeking to be discipled after Christ, become more like Him, and imbibe His attitude?

#3 Be a Doer, Not Just a Hearer.

The Bible writer James sounds a warning to those to hear the Word, but fail to act. Like those who look in a mirror, see the need for correction, but go on their way failing to make a change.

Sometimes improvement is never made because, we attend a class, hear a sermon, or read a text and say, “I know I ought to do better, but….” Then proceed to offer excuses, deflect, or procrastinate and fail to modify our behavior.

Remember more serious than an uncorrected typo in a blog post, is a defect in our character, a failure in our faith, and a sin-stain on the soul.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman