Our greatest sin is our refusal to see.
What are we refusing to see? The truth.
This is on a personal level, in relationships, and collectively: who we are as a people.
Sin literally means to miss the mark. I miss the mark when I’m not striving to live up to the ideal of who I can be. It’s the same for relationships and society.
On a personal level, I accept the status quo and avoid inconvenient truths. My ego defends me against criticism and justifies my actions and behaviors. I become blind to the truth that I can be better.
In relationships, it’s easy to get stuck in patterns based on how I was conditioned to be and what happened to me as a child. Without the willingness to look at that, and to see how my actions and reactions contribute to relationship dynamics, I’m doomed to repeat the programming.
Collectively, it’s easy to cling to beliefs, live in denial, and justify inaction. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil—remain neutral, accept the narrative, have a glass of wine, avoid controversial topics, and binge-watch Netflix.
When I don’t live up to the ideal of who I can be, (by continually missing the mark), my True Self (personal, inner ideal) is buried.
So how does one begin to see?
Be willing: face the facts and cultivate humility so learning something new, or being open to new information is possible.
Start to care more about the truth than about being right, become curious, eager to learn.
Override the ego, your survival system, your programming, that wants you to hide or bury your head in the sand.
Focus on your intuition; what is your gut telling you, what does your heart understand?
People refuse to see because it’s painful.
What would it mean to lose faith in trusted institutions? What if I discover something that would have been easier not to know? What if I realize there’s no one to blame and no one is coming to save me? Refusing to see is based in fear.
When I’d rather not be bothered, disrupt my way of life, or confront inconvenient truths, I drift away from the ideal and perpetually miss the mark.
This can lead to feeling hopeless and helpless about the future.
The good news is, the truth will set us free. Allowing myself to see the truth, doing the work to be true to myself, and deciding what action is needed to hit the mark or target, will lead to positive self-regard and satisfaction.
If missing the mark is the problem, how is the mark made? In order to not miss it, I have to establish it. That’s where vision comes in. I’ll write about the importance of vision next.