Einstein Was Right!

I am certainly not a physicist, and I make no claim that I can understand the Theory of Relativity or even  for that matter.  But I still think Einstein was right about a lot of stuff.  So much so that when McDonald's was giving out little plastic toys with their Happy Meals, I convinced one of my daughters to give me her Einstein Bobble-Head from Night at the Museum, which sets on my desk to this day.  As prolific as Einstein was, I find the little things that he said and did to be as remarkable as his ability to predict a solar or lunar eclipse, or even explain retro-grade motion in a way that even I can understand it.

Let me offer an example.  Einstein once said, "It is impossible to solve a problem with the same mind that created it."  That is profound on a number of levels, but especially for someone trying to live an obedient life in service to Christ.  Very often the Christian finds himself or herself trapped in an endless cycle of being enslaved to sin and desire.  Then we cry out to God for deliverance.  God hears and responds and liberates.  We then enjoy a time of peace and rehabilitation.  I wish the story could end there, but we are still very much like God's people during the time of the Judges, we ultimately slip back into our old habits and desires and lusts that got us in trouble in the first place.  The cycle repeats itself, for many of us day after day, month after month, and year after year.  We just cannot seem to break free for any long period of time.  

Here is where Einstein comes in.  He understood that it would take something different, a new perspective or a new mind if we are to overcome our desires and misgivings.  In other words, we need a renewal of the mind so that we can put a new spin on an old problem.  Romans 12:1-2 echoes a very similar thought, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

In the end, many of us live life like fish in a fish bowl...going over the same old ground year after year.  But if we make the decision to offer ourselves to God, having our mind's renewed, we can overcome the struggles and temptations that we so often succumb to.  It isn't celestial mechanics, but Einstein still understood a deep and profound truth about the human character that applies to us today.

BLIND SPOTS

A few months ago my wife and I decided to buy a van.  With three kids and the two of us packed into a Nissan Sentra we felt as if it was long past time.  After haggling with the finance manager for endless hours, we bought a used van that had one of the coolest features ever...blind spot mirrors.  These mirrors would light up with a yellow triangle to let you know that there was a car in your blind spot that you couldn't see in the mirror.  Being a techno-guy that is fascinated with gadgets, I had to try it out every time we were on the highway.  I would watch a car come up in the mirror...watch it disappear in the blind spot...the warning triangle would appear in the mirror...finally, the car would emerge and begin to pass me and the light would go off.  If you turned on the blinker while that warning light was on, all kids of bells and whistles went off to inform you that you were about to make a HUGE mistake!  It was fascinating!

Unfortunately, we didn't get to keep the van for very long.  Due to some mechanical issues with it, we ended up with another van. The van we have now doesn't have the blind spot mirrors and I miss them.   I miss the potential dangers they could point out and the information they provided.  I miss the extra set of "eyes" that could see into the places that I could not.

As Christians on the road of life, I am convinced that we need a set of spiritual "blind spot" mirrors for our journey.  We need them because we tend to see the world around us through then lens of our own experiences, beliefs, and perspectives, which skews how we see reality.  No matter how objective we try to be on our journey, our viewpoint is always distorted to some extent, which causes major blind spots that we are often not aware of until it's too late.  The blind spot is revealed by our poor choices, destructive behavior, and often times by our mental assent to the gospel, but living unregenerate lives.

I think what lies at the core of the problem is not bad eyesight or observer bias, but rather a heart condition.  Jeremiah 17:0 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things."  So we tend to see ourselves as spiritually stronger than we really are, that we are in total control.  But David says in Psalm 36:2 that "In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin", so we are good at the art of self-deception.  We are so blinded that when we are confronted with the truth about our condition that we attack the messenger and accuse him or her of lying or being malicious toward us.  That's what happened to Jesus in the gospels.  He came as a light into a dark world, pointing our the blind spots of humanity, and they killed him for it.

There is a great example of this destructive behavior in the Bible. In Matthew 26 the disciples were told by Jesus that some of them would fall away and deny him.  Peter responds by saying, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will" (v.33).  Blind spot.  Jesus tells Peter that he will disown him three times, to which Peter replies, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you" (v.35).  Blind spot.  Sure enough, Peter denied Jesus three times and he wept bitterly over his actions.

But Peter, like us, had blind spot mirrors!  Jesus was pointing out that there was something in his path that he couldn't see, something that would cause him to crash - but he didn't listen.  He had flattered himself too much and thought he was spiritually stronger than he really was.  I think the same is true with us as well.  We have blind spot mirrors that we often ignore.  When a loved one tries to tell us to be careful about what we say we think they are meddling in our business; we don't see the blind spot.  When a brother or sister in the Body corrects our ungodly behavior and we get mad; we don't see the blind spot.  When our spouse confronts us about our lack of involvement with the family or lack of prayer and scripture reading we start an argument; we don't see the blind spot.

If a loved one or a mature Christian is trying to point something out to you, pay attention.  They are acting as your blind spot mirrors.  And remember, you cannot change what you cannot see.  So listen, evaluate, and make the necessary corrections.  What are the things in your blind spot that others have been calling your attention to, but you have flattered yourself and ignored?

Richard