NOT SUBJECTIVEPrint This Page.

ONE
Subjectivity is another defect in the character of some of God's children, and in particular, of some workers for the Lord. If a person is subjective, he cannot do a good work.
What is the meaning of being subjective? Being subjective means to insist on one's own opinions and to refuse others' opinions. It means to have a preconceived idea before listening to others and to hold on to the idea even after hearing from others. Subjectivity means a reluctance to accept or to be corrected. It means to have one's own opinion from the very beginning and to always insist on this opinion. A subjective person arrives at his own judgment before he hears anything from the Lord, before the facts are unfolded, and before others present their opinions. He insists on his judgment even after hearing something from the Lord, after the facts are unfolded, and after others have presented their side of the matter. This is the meaning of being subjective. The root cause of subjectivity is a self that has never been broken. When a man's self is not broken, he has a stubborn view of things, and these opinions are hard to break and correct.
TWO
What are the problems resulting from subjectivity? What losses does it bring to a man? If a brother or a sister is subjective, he or she will not be able to listen to others. We can learn to not be subjective by listening to others. We must be empty within before we can take in the Lord's word or others' words. If we are subjective, it is difficult for us to take in anything. It is essential for every Christian worker to cultivate the ability to hear what people have to say; he has to know others' affairs and to understand others' problems. We have previously said that a great problem with God's workers is that they cannot listen to others. The chief reason behind not being able to listen to others is subjectivity. When a person is subjective, he is filled up with all sorts of things. His opinions become an impregnable fortress, and his ideas are unchangeable. He is always filled with his own arguments and preoccupations. When a brother or a sister comes to him and tries to share a frustration with him or to unload a burden to him, he simply cannot understand what they are saying, even after listening for half a day. He cannot listen to others. This is one problem associated with subjectivity.