In a post titled, Accurate Self-Assessment, Paul David Tripp explains the deceptive dangers of sin, and why we struggle to see it for what it is. Here are some of the highlights. Life in a fallen world is like attending the ultimate masquerade party. Impatient yelling wears the costume of a zeal for truth. Lust can masquerade as a love for beauty. Gossip does its evil work by living in the costume of concern and prayer. Craving for power and control wears the mask of biblical leadership. Fear of man gets dressed up as a servant heart. The pride of always being right masquerades as a love for biblical wisdom. Evil simply doesn't present itself as evil, which is part of its draw.
In short, Tripp explains that...
- Sin disguises itself as something that it's not making it difficult to recognize.
- Sin make us see the weakness, and failure of others while blinding us to our own.
- Sin makes us tolerate in ourselves what we wouldn't tolerate in others.
- Sin makes us blind to our blindness.
- Accurate self-assessment is the product of grace.
He then goes on to say...
In those painful moments of accurate self-sight, we may not feel as if we are being loved, but that is exactly what is happening. God, who loves us enough to sacrifice his Son for our redemption, works so that we would see ourselves clearly, so that we would not buy into the delusion of our own righteousness, and so that with a humble sense of personal need we would seek the resources of grace that can only be found in him.
Only Jesus can open blind eyes. Whenever a sinner accurately assesses his sin, the angels in heaven rejoice, and so should we.
Reflection Questions
- How often do you pray for open eyes to see yourself more clearly?
- How has God revealed you to yourself in the past?
- Are you thankful when others point out your weakness? Or do you quickly activate your inner lawyer?
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