Tragic heroes are defined and doomed by their character flaws.
Oedipus.
Anakin Skywalker.
King Saul.
Instead of addressing their flaws, tragic heroes are blind to them. If they acknowledge their flaws, then they might have the opportunity to fix them and move beyond them. Unfortunately, though, their flaws go unchecked, leading to an eventual fall from grace.
Which is why we need to know ourselves if we want to know God as best we can.
God created us and seeks to be in a relationship with us. We can come to God as broken individuals, trapped in the deepest and darkest of sins. Other than admitting our need for him and him alone, there is nothing we need to do to come to God. Grace truly is amazing and it opens up the path for us to God.
If we want to make any decent progress down that path, though, we have to be willing to look at ourselves. If we aren’t honest about our flaws then they could potentially hamstring our ability to go deeper with God.
Saul refused to address his flaws. He had a disobedient heart and cared more about the opinions of others than of God. He turned a blind eye to these faults and they eventually led to his downfall.
On the other hand, David was always honest about his flaws. Even if he ignored his wandering eye and his hubris for a time, he always eventually acknowledged them. Because David was honest about himself, because he knew who he was, the good and the bad, he was able to pursue God wholeheartedly. Instead of being weighed down by unaddressed flaws, David was free to pursue God, trusting in God’s grace to help him deal with his brokenness.
And more than anything that is why we need to be honest about our faults and flaws. God wants to work in our lives and heal our brokenness. If we refuse to acknowledge our brokenness, though, then we won’t experience the full power of God working in our lives.
God’s grace is amazing because it saves us. But it’s also amazing because it allows us to be honest about ourselves, trusting that God will meet us wherever we’re at, regardless of our flaws.
What helps you be honest about your flaws?
Leave a Comment