When we say that someone sees the world through rose-colored glasses, we mean they tend to view situations or people with excessive optimism, often ignoring negative aspects.

I think it is also possible to have a rose-colored mirror that makes us see ourselves in a more optimistic light, rather than in the truth.

We can view ourselves through a distorted lens. We quietly excuse our sharp words, our stubborn pride, and our small cruelties. These issues are often plain to everyone but us.

The reality is this: we are not the best judges of ourselves. That is why humility is so essential in the Christian life.

Humility is the willingness to say, “I may not be seeing myself clearly.” That honest admission cracks the door open to something beautiful: growth, correction, and the deep encouragement that only truth can bring. It positions us to receive God’s Word not as a vague comfort, but as a loving correction. It helps us hear the wise, mature believers God has placed in our lives, rather than filtering out anything that stings.

Seeing ourselves honestly is rarely pleasant. But that discomfort is not a sign that something has gone wrong. It is often the first sign that something has finally gone right.

Spiritual maturity begins not with confidence in ourselves, but with the courage to question it.

The professor was giving his final lessons of the year. He was trying to rally us as we headed out into the world to do ministry. My friend was sitting beside me with his notebook open, soaking it all up. When the professor reached the end of his series of encouragements, advice, and wisdom, he launched into one final challenge. He told us that the greatest tool we have is our brain, and we need to learn to “think for ourselves.”

I looked over as my friend grabbed his pen and jotted in large letters, “Learn to think for yourself.” I saw it and started to giggle to myself. He saw me, furrowed his eyebrows, as I was being disrespectful in the moment, totally missing the irony of writing a note about thinking for “ourselves.”

That moment is lodged in my brain because I have so often wanted to scream at people, “Would you think?” It could be about their marriage, parenting, finances, or even their behavior in public. Use your brain, people.

I have concluded that my professor was wrong in one aspect of what he said. We should not make it our goal to learn to think for ourselves; instead, we should learn to think Biblically.

Learning to think in ways aligned with God’s will is incredibly hard. It usually goes against culture, it runs contrary to our feelings and flesh, and it does not always seem like common sense.

Thinking for yourself is not a bad idea, as long as you use your freedom of thought to lead you to Jesus and his way of thinking.