September 1, 2006

I’m preparing a presentation on self-critique to give next week to high school publication staff. My primary qualification for this assignment is this reflection you’re reading. Actually the qualification is the 400 reflections I’ve written before this one. The whole idea behind critique is to learn from looking at oneself. The value is not in the looking, but in the learning

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It’s probably easiest to be oblivious. Someone in my family borrowed a bicycle and rode it 1/4 mile before noticing the rear tire was completely flat. It’s obvious that if we don’t see something, we can’t learn from it. What’s less obvious to us is how easy it is to obscure what’s right in front of our nose.

So our first duty is to be aware. Before leaving on our kayak trip last week, we were encouraged to familiarize ourselves with the current charts and the wind forecast. Sure enough, around the islands we were paddling were currents strong enough to feel like white water when we encountered them. Traveling at another time of day would have put those currents against us – a daunting challenge.

Once we’re aware, we’ll hopefully learn from what we observe. I’ve horizontal much of the past week with an injured back. I caught myself trying to do ‘normal’ manly activities yesterday while my daughters were moving new furniture into their bedroom. Not only did my family let me know how stupid my efforts, I was able to understand the correlation between bending and lifting and the shooting sciatic pain in my left leg. I think it meant, “STOP, you idiot!”

Life is most rewarding when we acquire and assimilate knowledge. Just watch my nephew, Brandon light up when he sees my daughters. His response to his cousins isn’t because my sister threatened him if he wasn’t happy to see them. His smile comes because he has learned from his experience that they love him. He has permitted what he learned to affect his life. It brings him joy.

“I write this to you who believe in the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13

Be at peace,
Pastor Steve