THE VALUE OF INTROSPECTION

When Franklin Roosevelt was elected President in 1932 he confided to his son that he was afraid that he may not have the strength to do the job. He said, “After you leave me tonight, Jimmy, I am going to pray. I am going to pray that God will help me, that he will give me the strength and the guidance to do this job and to do it right. I hope you will pray for me, too, Jimmy.” Eleanor said that FDR believed in God and in His guidance. “He felt that human beings were given tasks to perform and with those tasks the ability and strength to put them through. He could pray for help and guidance and have faith in his own judgment as a result.”

His biographer, H.W. Brands, commented. “Beyond this basic theology Roosevelt chose not to venture. His reluctance reflected his general aversion to introspection. To think deeply about faith required thinking deeply about the inner life, which Roosevelt hesitated to do.” (H.W. Brands, Traitor to his Class, p.268)

FDR was an activist, a doer, not a reflective person. He represents many people who avoid self examination. Great men are often proud and self-indulgent like his political peer Winston Churchill. Most public leaders tend to be similar in personality. They exude self-confidence and are afraid of admitting any weakness, failure, or mistake. They can be dogmatic, demanding and controlling.

The follower of Christ tries to heed the words of Scripture. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23,24)

Confession is good for the soul. There should be a place in every worship service for confession. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8) Introspection, to think deeply about the inner life, is necessary if we wish to grow into maturity. “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place….Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me….The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:6,10,17)

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that the commandments had to be applied inwardly to the heart motivation and thought, not just the outward actions. It is what we are inwardly that is important. We should be open toward God and ask him to search us inwardly to know our heart to see what is in us, to confess our weakness, if we are to know forgiveness and acceptance. The inability to be honest about our failings, to admit our mistakes, is a sign that the truth is not in us. We deceive ourselves and only want those around us to affirm us. It takes a true friend who is willing to confront us with our delusion. Unfortunately, it takes hindsight for the courage to face the truth about ourselves. History and divine judgment has the last word.