Are You Defensive? - Mack Tomlinson

Our perception is clouded

usually about ourselves.

And when others who love us see us

and speak into our lives about something,

we better be sure to be honest

and face the fact they're seeing

what's probably true
and I'm not seeing it.

Because they wouldn't
be sharing it with you

if they didn't love you.

Faithful are the what?

Wounds of a friend.

Kisses and flattery are deceitful.

Are you teachable?

Are you approachable?

Today, are you possibly
wrong in areas you don't see?

Are you correctable?

Men, when your wife shares something

that they see, do you get self-defensive?

Do you get defensive?

I can't mark the year,

but I was at least three
decades into marriage

before I stopped being defensive

when Linda would share something with me.

Grow up.

I mean, come on.

She loves me more than anybody.

She knows me more than anybody.

Why can't I just listen?

She might be right.

And I learned, yeah,
she's right most of the time.

I'm not saying anything other than

those closest to you -

your husband, your wife -

when they share things,

don't get defensive.

Just listen.

How defensive of a person are you?

Are you open to others pointing out

and helping you with
blind spots you don't see

that are there?

Or do you say, no, I'm good.

And you avoid, you're in denial.

You go on being needy.

And your blindspot is nakedly clear

to everybody but you.

Romans 2 kind of talks
about that, doesn't it?

You who teach others...

you who say don't steal,

don't commit adultery.

So we can see needs in others clearly.

We have 20/20 vision.

And we have spiritual cataracts

when we look at ourselves.

We see others clearly,
but do we see ourselves clearly?

Others see clearly what is true about me.

Others see us better and
more clearly than ourselves.

I have known and loved preachers

who did not know when to stop preaching.

Some of you have seen that.

They didn't know when to stop.

They didn't have it anymore - the clarity.

They kept preaching,

and no one had the courage

or loved them enough
to go to them and say,

brother, it's time.

I told my elders don't you let me preach

one sermon longer than
I can deliver the goods.

Don't let me preach.

And if I get dementia,

you've already heard me
say it with a clear mind.

Don't let me preach longer than I should.

Christ has x-ray vision, right?

To the deepest needs of our lives.

Leonard Ravenhill helped
write a book years ago.

It was called, "Christ's
Paralyzed Church X-Ray."

Do you remember that?

And it was talking about
the seven churches.

Christ sees right through perfectly,

intimately, thoroughly.

He sees every atom of your being

and your DNA right now.

Your deepest thoughts before they come,

He knows them altogether.

He sees our motives.

Why don't we face Him

about our blind spots?

Do you know how you would excel

and take off in joy and freedom

if you let God by His Spirit

put His finger on your blind spots

and let Him deal with them?

It hurts,

but it's going to hurt worse not to.

This excerpt was taken
from the full sermon:

"You and Your Blind Spots"