Sin is not simply the breaking of a law. It is the missing of an opportunity. ~N.T. Wright
Who in the world am I? Ah, that’s the great puzzle. ~ Alice in Wonderland
At the end of the winding Galamus Gorge, hidden in the crags of the foothills of the Pyrenees, perches the Galamus Hermitage. A chapel, built when the nearby village was saved from a deadly epidemic, hides the natural caves behind, where one solitary hermit dwelled.
What was it like to live long lonely years removed from the comforting sound of other voices, the touch of other hands, without seeing the smiles and scowls we take for granted every day? Was it torment or relief?
As a die-hard introvert, there are times I dream of a hidden life, safe in some cool cave from the noisy extraversion of the world. Would I be content to be known only to myself, invisible to the complicated crowd? More important, would I be “me”?
The Hidden Life
The Jahari window, familiar to self-help gurus and corporate consultants, is a sometimes useful aid to self-understanding. The results of a simple test are shared in the form of a four-pane grid.
#1 The OPEN self, information about you anyone can know. Some of us are hermit-like. We parcel out a pennyworth of self-disclosure, while we watch for a hint of rejection. The challenge is to allow this area to grow, to let yourself be known.
#2 The BLIND self, those quirky traits, egregious sins and saintly habits known to everyone but you. The challenge is to learn to step behind the eyes of others when the subject turns to you.
#3 The HIDDEN self lurks behind your careful self-presentation. The challenge is to shorten the list of areas withheld, to tear down your facades.
#4 The UNKNOWN self is yet to be seen, hidden from even you. The challenge is to let God have his way, to trust him with what you may not like, to watch him uncover what can’t be predicted–the potential and purpose for which you were designed.
Are you hiding yourself in hermit garb, or are you ready to risk being known?
4 replies on “The You Hidden From Our View”
Conviction and coffee greet me this beautiful morning.
I find myself rallying for the hermit driven into seclusion out of self preservation.
This is risky business!
Engaging in community is something I take in small trembling measure.
The open- blind- hidden- unknown me is safely hidden in Christ.
TRUST GOD precedes my steps and words when I do step out of my isolation.
There must be a 12 step program! .. is it when 2 or more gather in Jesus name?
Some big truth here, Ginny. Yes, all four panes hidden in Christ. Keep going!
Janet, I am so grateful that you have allowed me the joy and privilege of knowing so much about you. That is a priceless gift!
And honestly whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, we all have ways of hiding. Extroverts can do it while simultaneously appearing to be open. Through all our engagement in conversation, we extroverts can still end up saying nothing of importance and only presenting what they want others to know. In Johari Window terms, this is the “hidden” part of oursevles – but extroverts can fool themselves (and sometimes others) into thinking they are being open, when they are really remaining hidden.
I hope to keep growing from hidden to open in my own life. 🙂
Linda, great insights! I guess extroverts can be hermits in plain view.