Humility, Blind Spots and Explosive Soup
It was a mid-February day. A bit of chill still hung in the air, though, here in Arizona, I knew it wouldn’t last for long. So, I reached for my last lunch-sized microwavable can of tomato soup as the clock was chiming twelve. I had stocked up when it was cold and, though perhaps not the best lunch option, I enjoyed the warmth and cozy feeling it brought me.
As I pulled up on the thumb tab to remove the medal lid, some soup seeped onto the top of the lid. I pulled the medal lid back till it was just about to pop off, but that’s when it stuck fast before finally letting go with an abruptness that made my soup fly up like fireworks, landing everywhere from the white cabinets above to the slate grey floor below.
I exclaimed with frustration and began cleaning it up as quickly as possible before the orange soup could transfer its color to my décor.
Nearly an hour later, lunch long since eaten and work commencing, an orange streak on my black yoga pants caught my eye. Then another. And another.
I’d been so interested in cleaning my surroundings from my explosive soup, that I had missed the rather obvious effect on me!
Someone leveled some pretty gut-wrenching accusations at me. I had humbled myself and apologized for any conceivable culpability, but when I shared them later with the Hubs, he had told me the accusations were unfounded. How are we supposed to humble ourselves, but not let a false accusation dominate our own opinion of ourselves? #ChristianBlog #Accusations
I instantly recalled a recent conversation I’d had in which someone leveled some pretty gut-wrenching accusations at me. I had humbled myself and apologized for any conceivable culpability, but when I shared them later with the Hubs, he had told me the accusations were unfounded.
Now, the Hubs and I have been married a long time (Praise God!) and I trust his word, but I also know he loves me deeply and doesn’t want to hurt me. So, I basically made him pinkie-swear that he would tell me the truth in this – even if he thought I would get hurt or mad. He promised and examples that contradicted the accusations flowed from his heart into mine.
See, I really don’t want to walk around with soup on myself. I really want to know if I have blind spots. I know I have them, but I don’t see them. And when they are pointed out, I really want to respond with a humble heart and a willingness to see things from the other person’s perspective. I spent way too many years being defensive, with my fists up by my nose, ready to block shots and return fire. That only brought pain and stunted growth.
How are we supposed to humble ourselves, but not let a false accusation dominate our own opinion of ourselves? #ChristianBlog #Accusations
But I also need truth. Whether the accusation comes from the enemy directly or through the words of an unsuspecting person, I need someone I trust to tell me where the line between his falsehoods and a potential kernel of truth might be.
The Lord does this for me, but when it comes to blind spots, He has also given me the Hubs and a few close friends who can see where I’ve missed flying soup. Isn’t the Body of Christ a beautiful miracle?
That’s quite a dance we have to do sometimes – the dance between humility and truth. We must be humble enough to accept hard truths, but solid enough in God’s truth that we aren’t moved by false accusations.
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” Romans 12:3
For more on letting God be God, read my blog, “The Scent of Humanness” by clicking HERE!