I had an uncle who was an optometrist and he used to always joke that he had job security because everyone has blind spots to keep him busy. A blind spot is an area where a person’s view is obstructed. They seem to be unable to understand the situation or to see how important something is so it often takes someone else to do it.
“King Hezekiah, joined by the prophet Isaiah, responded by praying, calling up to heaven. God answered by sending an angel who wiped out everyone in the Assyrian camp, both warriors and officers. Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace, tail between his legs. When he went into the temple of his god, his own sons killed him.” — 2 Chron 32: 20-21
The powerful nation of Assyria was conquering every nation in its path and was quickly approaching Israel. King Hezekiah was out-numbered, out-resourced, and out-techniqued. It was now a crisis and the king did something that was wise and courageous. He turned to his inner circle for counsel instead of trying to solve it himself. But the brilliance of what he did is the lesson for us today. He didn’t call his on his military general, he didn’t reach out to his economic advisor, nor turn to smart consultants, all who would tell him what he wanted to hear; instead he called on a prophet to lead. Isaiah gave him wisdom of what was to come and surprisingly to stay the course because King Sennacherib of Assyria was not going to conquer them but was going to die at home soon. This advice of standing down contradicted his reasoning yet he was wise enough to follow it. The very next day, the King of Assyria learns that 180,000 of his troops had died overnight and then he was killed by his sons shortly afterwards.
We serve a God who is already in our tomorrows giving us what we need today but so often we don’t turn to Him for lead counsel but rather for rubberstamping our plans. This foolishness serves as a spiritual blindspot and so often we repeat mistakes over and over.
So who is in your inner circle pointing out your blind spots? So often I see;
- a business owner going rogue and surrounded with no one;
- an Executive Director of a non-profit surrounded with yes men;
- a CEO surrounded by people who don’t push back;
The key to removing a blindspot is surrounding yourself with people who will speak truth into your situation, and more importantly, having the courage to receive it. Don’t just receive what you want to hear but accept what you need to hear for true clarity and freedom.
Reflection |
What changes to your business circle, leadership team, board, or inner circle do you need to make?