Divided We Stand: How to Love When We DisagreeSample

The Log in My Eye

Each of us has had our own unique experiences on this planet. We were born in specific places and times, to particular people, and into one-of-a-kind contexts. Our lives have been shaped by relationships, pain, joy, geography, ethnicity, culture, and more. No two humans have lived the same story, which is an incredible, beautiful truth.

These unique stories, however, also create biases and blind spots. Every human has them. We have a particular perspective on the world according to what we have learned and experienced, our makeup, and our cultural context. This means that we don’t have everyone else’s perspective! We certainly don’t have God’s full perspective, which means we’re missing some things.

Why does this feel so frightening to admit? Many of us may feel that acknowledging biases must mean we are terrible because only terrible people have biases, right? No. We have prejudices and biases by the very nature of being limited humans! We are to be continuously curious about what they might be and how we can expand our perspective, but we should never be ashamed to admit that we, like all people, have biases.

This is another area where our identity is deeply important. If we are growing increasingly convinced that Christ has created us as new, holy, righteous saints, then we do not need to be afraid of admitting places where we need some work. It’s okay to curiously ask, “What might my biases be? Where might I have some blind spots?” It no longer has a bearing on our worth or our acceptableness. Instead, it becomes an opportunity to grow in loving others well.

Reflection:

What comes up for you when you admit that you, like all people, have biases and blind spots?

Where might you have some biases or blind spots based on your background, culture, or experiences?