October 14, 2013

In February 2013, I read an internet article on NPR.org (“Gorilla Hiding in Plain Sight”) about a study by Harvard researchers, which was based on a 1999 study on selective attention (“The Invisible Gorilla Study”). They presented a group of radiologists a picture of a lung scan and superimposed a matchbook-sized picture of a gorilla on the scan. The radiologists were told to review the slides for cancerous nodules. 83% of the radiologists did not notice the picture of the gorilla. The effect by which a person fails to see something obvious in front of them because he/she is concentrating on something else is called “inattentional blindness.”

Often, we suffer from “inattentional blindness” with regard to our sin. The brokenness of the world becomes “white noise” around us. We are consumed with personal priorities and schedules such that sins, which may be quite obvious to others, is not seen in ourselves.

The Spirit ministers to us by removing the blinders and enabling us to see the impurity the remains within us. At the same time, He directs us to the sacrificial work of Christ by which we are cleansed.