The Conviction that We Are Right Disease

In a recent interview in Relevant magazine with writer Anne Lamott, Dean Nelson asked the following question:  Does it seem odd that you worship the same God as people you criticize the most severely, namely people like George W. Bush?

Lamott answered by saying:

I try not to follow people who follow Jesus. We’re all screwed up in ways that are more similar than not. Almost all of my problems are problems of perception, where I am seeing something so wrong, through my very human, anxious, greedy eyes. Our common ground is this disease of a conviction that we are right. It’s like the Bob Dylan song “With God on Our Side.” I don’t want to try to convince people to come to Jesus. I just try to tell my truth and share my story and the stories of daily salvation.

I don’t know too many people who don’t have the “Conviction that I am Right” disease (including, of course, yours truly).  Recent comments (now at 153 and counting) on a post by Julie on the blog CRN.Info and Analysis readily illustrate this.  Of course, people can actually be correct in their convictions, but some of the problems that accompany this disease are arrogance, self-righteousness, Phariseeism and the elevating one’s self while simultaneously denigrating others.  These problems are all in evidence in the comments on the post mentioned above.

Lamott also speaks about her problems of perception.  It is interesting that as I have been doing research on the texts for new week’s sermon and service (Christ the King), I ran across another way of interpreting the following well known verse:  ” And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. And parting His clothing, they cast lots.” (Luke 23:34 MKJV)

It seems that the word translated as “know,” is just as often or maybe more often translated as “see,” as in “to perceive.”   The following are taken from Strongs and Thayers respectively:

εἴδω
eidō
i’-do
A primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent, G3700 and G3708; properly to see (literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perfect only) to know: - be aware, behold, X can (+ not tell), consider, (have) known (-ledge), look (on), perceive, see, be sure, tell, understand, wist, wot. Compare G3700.

εἴδω
eidō
Thayer Definition:
1) to see
1a) to perceive with the eyes
1b) to perceive by any of the senses
1c) to perceive, notice, discern, discover
1d) to see
1d1) i.e. to turn the eyes, the mind, the attention to anything
1d2) to pay attention, observe
1d3) to see about something
1d3a) i.e. to ascertain what must be done about it
1d4) to inspect, examine
1d5) to look at, behold
1e) to experience any state or condition
1f) to see, i.e. have an interview with, to visit
2) to know
2a) to know of anything
2b) to know, i.e. get knowledge of, understand, perceive
2b1) of any fact
2b2) the force and meaning of something which has definite meaning
2b3) to know how, to be skilled in
2c) to have regard for one, cherish, pay attention to (1Th_5:12)

How different would our understanding of Luke 23:34 be if it read “they do not see what they do,” or “they do not perceive what they do?”  Maybe it makes no difference at all, but the juxtaposition particularly of “seeing what they do” with the horrendous actions of actually crucifying a man is both disturbing and enlightening.

What do we not see . . . what do we not perceive in the actions we take every day?  How might our convictions of rightness be shaped by opening our hearts and minds to new ways of seeing and perceiving?