My weakness is, "I care too much....."

A few nights ago Amy and I were watching re-runs of The Office on TBS. Funny how watching them on TBS is easy and quite enjoyable; but rarely will I ever actually put in a DVD featuring the same episode. Anyhow, Michael was interviewing for a position which appeared the obvious next step up. As I've learned in interviews, the one conducting the interview always asks you to share personal strengths and weaknesses. Micheal said, "Why don't I just tell you my weaknesses: I care too much about the company, and I work too hard. My weaknesses are my strengths."

When some of us admit our weaknesses, we may not do exactly what Michael does, but we don't do too much better. For instance, one acceptable weakness to confess is pride. It's acceptable to say, I struggle with pride. It admits nothing. But rarely do we admit how we struggle with pride. Someone asked me the other day, "How do you see pride show up in your life?" He assumed it was there, and just wanted to see how it popped its ugly head.

If an interviewer asks you a question about your weaknesses you are compelled to answer. You need to answer honestly, but there is always some fear in the back of your mind: "I need to be honest, but I don't want to tell too much and hurt my chances of getting the job."

We often look at relationships in a similar interviewing light. But when you find someone who will hear your weaknesses and not threaten you with any loss of relationship (like not being hired or being fired or looked at weirdly), it's a totally different ball game. And that interviewer/interviewed connection vanishes like the ACC in recent NCAA tournaments.

It sure is refreshing when you have relationships where weaknesses are talked about and accepted. Then you will experience the freedom and joy of the gospel far more than holding your cards too close to the vest.