Proverbs 21:2 (NASB)

Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart.

The Johari window is a cognitive psychological tool used to help people better understand themselves.  Imagine a window with four panes.  The first pane is called “the arena” – the part of you that is known to both you and others. The second pane is called “the façade” – the part of you that you know about, but that you fail to expose to others.  The third pane is called “the blind spot” – the part of you that is known to others but is not obvious to you.  And lastly, the fourth pane is called “the unknown” – the part of you that is both blind to others and yourself. As you journey through life both you and others will discover things about you that you never knew before.  But guess what?  God knew.

In today’s context, the Johari window simply points to the fact that we tend to cut ourselves too much slack…or we simply can’t see some of our faults. We assume our motives are good, but in reality, they could be tainted by pride or deception. Have you ever done the right thing for the wrong reason? I’ve done some pretty awesome ministry things only to wonder if I did them for God’s Kingdom…or my own. They were good things, to be sure, but when God “weighed my heart” I wonder if I came up short?

Like King David, we need to ask God to search our hearts and reveal any wicked or unclean things (Ps. 139:23). He sees your inner motives.  He looks past your façade and even past your limited understanding.  If you truly want to be right, then seek to be right with God.  Ask Him to expose to you your inner faults and flaws.  When God does, ask Him to help you to make the corrections you need to in order to become the person He desires for you to be with motivations that mirror His own.  As you do, He will weigh your heart once again and find you good and righteous.