We recently participated in a Johari Window exercise at work. It was invented by a pair of psychologists back in the 1950 as a model for mapping personality awareness. It works pretty simply. First, you describe yourself by selecting 10 characteristics from a fixed list of adjectives covering everything from “adventurous” and “dependable” to “organized” and “witty.” Then, you ask your colleagues to describe you from the same list and see what matches up.
And what doesn’t.
It's interesting to see how others perceive you. Especially when it's strictly in a work environment. Of my 10 adjectives I selected, my co-workers only selected five of the same. Naturally, they thought I was cheerful, witty, and modest (a-hem). But no one picked "spiritual."
How is it I label myself as spiritual but they don’t recognize it? Do I hide it from the outside world? Do I just practice that trait while I'm in church?
I don't think so. But it made me take a closer look at myself.
I suspect I am more careful at work of what I say because, well, you can't risk offending anyone these days. But they do say actions speak louder than words. If my co-workers label me as caring, helpful, empathetic, friendly, kind, and giving, then the spirit is obviously working through me and using me to spread God's message through my actions.
It doesn’t mean I can’t do a better job. There’s always room for improvement, right?
On this Pentecost Sunday, how is the spirit moving you? Has God given you the language to proclaim His gospel? Has the Holy Spirit transformed your faith into action? What does He see when He’s looking in your “window”?
May the Holy Spirit breathe life into all of us as we better ourselves and our church community!
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