Sunday, May 26, 2024 - How to Address Personal Bias in Addressing Personal Issues - Pastor Paul Vallee

John Series In management courses, a concept often raised is an awareness of something called, ‘cognitive bias.’ This is dealing with how we think about and perceive issues. This is true for the work environment and maybe even more critical in understanding how it affects personal relationships. So, what is cognitive bias? “While we believe that we receive information objectively, our brains unconsciously filter data, distorting our perception of reality. Because bias can distort our critical thinking, we become prone to irrational decisions and inaccurate judgments about others.” What makes this even more critical is we think we are right. Cognitive bias causes us only to receive information that agrees with our thinking. This is known as ‘confirmation bias,’ which means we are unwilling to hear the opposing point of view and are looking for those who agree with our point of view. The ancient wisdom literature spoke of this very danger in the book of Proverbs of not carefully considering the other side of the story. “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.” (Proverbs 18:16). In other words, wisdom allows us to hear another point of view. "In a lawsuit, the first to speak seems right until someone comes forward and cross-examines.” (Proverbs 18:17) The Living Bible, a paraphrase, states this text like this: “Any story sounds true until someone tells the other side and sets the record straight.” One of the great tragedies of Jesus's interaction with some of the religious leaders in his hour was that they were unwilling to consider what Jesus was saying and doing. Therefore, their blind prejudices kept them from responding positively. This is true not only regarding our relationship with God but also with others. Are we trying to understand and love others for who they are or want them to be?