The Blindside

The Blindside dan skognes insurance finance investments motivation blogger speaker entrepreneur 

Did you see the movie with Sandra Bullock?  True story about a southern white family that adopted a young homeless black man (Michael Oher) into their family and he ended up playing pro football.  His job was to protect the quarterback’s blind side.  Great movie, by the way. A lot of wonderful life lessons in the movie about how love transforms people, and how believing in someone when they don’t believe in themselves can literally be the thing that changes everyone in the family in a very positive way.  In fact, the ripple effects continue even to this day.

We have all been blind-sided from time to time.  Perhaps it was a car accident, a relationship that blew up on us, or losing a job unexpectedly.  Life is full of blind sides, and it seems that we can do little to prepare for them.

9/11 was a blind side that we can never forget.  I heard a testimony from a man who worked at the Pentagon and was there the day the plane crashed into the building.  He was totally distraught over what had happened in New York, and to get a clear head, he went for a jog so he could think.  That was the time that the plane hit the Pentagon…right in the spot where his office was.  Unfortunately, many people were blindsided that day and did not live to tell about it.

Some blindsides can be good, like a call from a friend or relative out of the blue, or a check that you were not expecting, or like the simple act of kindness extended to Michael Oher, but those seem to be out-weighed by the negative ones.

There is not much we can do to protect ourselves from being blind-sided in a negative sense, unfortunately.  You can look in the rearview and side mirrors, but there always seem to be blind spots even then.  That applies to cars as well as relationships.  So what CAN we do?

  • Pray.  Prayer changes things. Pray for your protection and your provision.
  • Remember the promises of God.  They are always true, complete, and good. Trust Him.
  • Live today like it was your last day, because it very well may be.
  • Don’t live looking in the rearview or side mirrors.  You can’t move forward looking in the rearview or side mirrors.  An occasional glance is good…just don’t dwell there.
  • Focus on your goals, and when you do get blindsided, remember your goals.  A flat tire may be a hassle, but being able to fix it now may have saved you from a serious wreck.  Sometimes blindsides can turn out to be blessings.
  • If you have been seriously blindsided by a death, crushing debt, job loss, or health issues….don’t give up hope.  There is hope even in the darkest hours we face.  Seek God if you are at the end of your rope.  Being at the end of your rope is only hopeless if you are being hanged….literally.
  • If you come across someone who has been blindsided, be an encourager to them.  Remember that you may need someone to encourage you in the future.

Shalom!

Dan Skognes

2 Responses to “The Blindside”

  1. Denise Odutola says:

    Excellent words of wisdom. I appreciate the thoughts on not looking in the rearview too often and especially to not get stuck in the past…keep praying and keep moving forward. Denise O.