Thick Skin, Tender Heart

Recently during a phone conversation, a friend of mine said that in his sales job, one day you are everybody's best friend and the next day those same people ask "what have you done for me lately?" We laughed about it, and I said "boy, sounds like you are getting ready for ministry!"

That's been my last two weeks. One week I'm on top of the world - God is using me in people's lives and doing some encouraging things in the ministries I'm involved with - and the next week I'm blindsided by complaints, leaders stepping down, sin issues, and the like.

Thankfully, I know that Jesus is all-too-familiar with issues like this. During his time on earth, he could go from being everybody's friend to low-man-on-the-totem pole far too quickly. In Matthew 12 alone, there are two instances where Jesus healed someone, and immediately others follow up the miracle with criticism and plots for his assassination.

The most powerful example of Jesus enduring this relational rollercoaster ride is what many Christians refer to as Passion Week. It started with a grand entry into the city, people cheering, waving palm brances (a political sign for desired freedom from the Romans), shouting "Hosanna" (which means "save us"), many believing that this famed rabbi would rise up to overthrow the Romans and free the Jewish people.

But in less than a week, many of those same people who were shouting about how great Jesus was before the city's residents were soon shouting for his crucifixion before Pilate. Any normal human would react naturally with anger, deep hurt, and emotional wounds. But Jesus wasn't a normal human - he was fully human.

How does a true human being respond to the criticisms, abandonment, and sin issues of others? With a steadfastness to stay the course to accomplish the purpose the Father has laid before him. It's as if Jesus has a thick hide to bounce off the criticisms, but a tender heart to continue to love people enough that he would die for them.

So how will you respond when you are being criticised in your job, or experience abandonment in your friendship, or feel the affects of other people's sinful choices? Quit? Criticise back? Blast people with a viscious tongue? Those are the natural responses of normal humans. I encourage you to choose a different path, go the way of Jesus - respond with thick skin and a tender heart.

At least that's what I'm somewhat successfully trying to do this week...