Colossians 4:6 (NKJV) Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
One potential blind spot in our lives is how our words, actions, tone, or even silence genuinely affect the people around us. For instance, we might come across as arrogant when trying to be confident, be draining to others or exclude others unintentionally.
For example, because of China’s one-child policy, many adults grew up receiving attention from six adults. Used to being the centre of attention, they speak openly, tend to express their desires, and can be high maintenance. Unknowingly, they may also exclude those whom they perceive to be from a different social class.
Those from the old-school corporate world might be accustomed to speaking loudly and authoritatively. As such, their words, tones, and body language may convey an aggressive tone, creating a toxic work environment. However, the Bible teaches us to be gracious with our speech and to control our tongue. The tongue, though small, is comparable to a spark that sets the whole forest on fire! We should speak words that build up and edify.
Another potential blind spot is self-perception vs. reality, which is the gap between how we see ourselves and how others perceive us.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asked Jesus to let them sit at His right and left. They thought highly of themselves, but Jesus did not think they could handle the responsibility that accompanied the position. Similarly, some people think highly of themselves and demand that their importance be acknowledged. However, that’s how they perceive themselves; it might not be how others see them.
Luke 14:8-11(NKJV) “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honourable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
It is always better to be humble, and it is wiser to be called to leadership or to sit in a position of importance rather than assume that we are the best. As long as our identity is in Christ, we don’t need to feel rejected, insecure, or constantly need to feel important.
God has given us the freedom to choose, including whether we decide to make necessary changes when our blind spots have been revealed. The Holy Spirit is gentle but has an authoritative voice within our hearts when He guides us to make the right choice. Nonetheless, we still hold the key to the decision despite the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the revelation of the Word of God.
Sermon Series: Do You Have A Blind Spot in Your Life
你仍然握有那把钥匙
歌罗西书 4:6 你们的言语要常常带着和气，好像用盐调和，就可知道该怎样回答各人。
我们生命中的一个潜在盲点，就是没有意识到自己的言语、行为、语气，甚至沉默，会如何真实地影响周围的人。举例来说，我们在试着表现自信时，可能被误认为傲慢；或是让人感到疲惫，甚至在不知不觉中将别人排除在外。
例如，由于中国曾经的一孩政策，许多成年人从小就受到六位长辈的关注。因为习惯成为众人焦点，他们往往直率表达自己的想法与需求，有时也会显得较为高要求。然而，在无意之中，他们可能会排斥那些被视为来自不同社会阶层的人。
另一方面，来自传统职场文化的人，可能习惯以较大的音量与权威性的语气说话。因此，他们的言辞、语气与肢体语言容易给人一种咄咄逼人的感觉，从而造成一种有害的职场氛围。然而，圣经教导我们，要使我们的言语充满恩典，并学习控制自己的舌头。舌头虽小，却能像一颗火星，点燃整片森林！我们应当说出能造就人、使人得益处的话语。
另一个潜在的盲点，是“自我认知与现实之间的落差”——也就是我们看待自己的方式，和别人实际看待我们的方式之间的差异。
雅各和约翰——西庇太的儿子——曾求耶稣让他们坐在祂左右两边。他们对自己评价甚高，但耶稣知道他们还没有足够的能力承担那样的责任。同样地，有些人也高估了自己，并期望他人承认他们的重要性。然而，那只是他们眼中的自己，并不一定是别人眼中的样子。
路加福音 14:8-11 “你被人请去赴婚姻的筵席，不要坐在首位上，恐怕有比你尊贵的客被他请来，那请你们的人前来对你说：‘让座给这一位吧！’你就羞羞惭惭地退到末位上去了。 你被请的时候，就去坐在末位上，好叫那请你的人来对你说：‘朋友，请上坐！’那时，你在同席的人面前就有光彩了。因为凡自高的，必降为卑；自卑的，必升为高。”
因此，保持谦卑总是更为明智。被呼召进入领导位置或被邀请坐在尊荣之位，比起自认为配得那位置，更加有智慧。只要我们的身份扎根于基督里，就不需要因被忽略而感到被拒绝，也不需要不断寻求安全感或被重视的感觉。
神赐给我们自由选择的权利，其中也包括——当我们的盲点被显明时，是否愿意作出改变。圣灵温柔却在我们心中拥有权威的声音，引导我们作出正确的选择。尽管如此，即便有圣灵的感动和上帝话语的启示，我们仍握有决定权的钥匙。
讲章系列：你生命中有盲点吗？