THIN SKIN

014 – OCTOBER 2004

THIN SKIN

ROMANS 12:3 “FOR I SAY, THROUGH THE GRACE GIVEN TO ME, TO EVERY MAN THAT IS AMONG YOU, NOT TO THINK OF HIMSELF MORE HIGHLY THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK …”

WHY DOES IT ALWAYS TAKE ADVERSITY TO ENABLE US TO GET OUR EYES OFF OF OURSELVES AND TO FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT THINGS OF LIFE? IT SEEMS THAT WAY DOESN’T IT?
WE GET SO BENT OUT OF SHAPE OVER THE MOST TRIVIAL OF THINGS. WE SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED ABOUT IT. WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED THAT WE GET ANNOYED AT PEOPLE OR SITUATIONS THAT SEEM TO JAR OUR WORLD. MOST OF THESE THINGS ARE JUST “STUFF” … STUFF THAT IS ACTUALLY ONLY A VERY SMALL BUMP TO OUR LIVES. JUST A LITTLE SCRATCH THAT WE GET ALL UPSET ABOUT! WE TURN IT INTO SOME KIND OF OPEN BLEEDING WOUND OR SOMETHING. IT’S A MOLEHILL AND WE’VE MADE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT – AN INCONVENIENCE, A CRITICISM, A DISAGREEMENT, A COMMENT, A BOTHER, ETC.

1 COR 13:5 “(LOVE) … SEEKETH NOT HER OWN …” AND “ … IS NOT EASILY PROVOKED …”

THE “MOUNTAIN” IS USUALLY SOMETHING WHERE SOMEONE HAS FAILED YOU … FAILED TO MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS OR DEMANDS. AND YOU GET ALL BUMMED OUT ABOUT IT. MAYBE SOMEONE’S LACK OF ASSISTANCE, SOMEONE’S SUBSTANDARD PERFORMANCE, OR SOMEONE’S INSENSITIVITY TOWARDS YOUR BRILLIANCE. AND YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOUR WHOLE DAY IS RUINED.
SOMEONE ADVISES YOU “RELAX, BUDDY, NO ONE HAS DIED.”
AND YOU THINK, “YEAH, BUT …”

JESUS SAID, IN MT 23:11, “BUT HE THAT IS GREATEST AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT.”

SOMETIMES PEOPLE DO DIE. PEOPLE GET SICK. LOVED ONES GET SAD OR LONELY AND JUST NEED A LITTLE LOVE FROM US. THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS THINGS HAPPENING. WE COULD BE A BIG HELP, BUT WE ARE TOO BUSY WITH THE MOLE HILLS … TOO BUSY TO EVEN SEE WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND US. ALL OUT OF JOINT. OVER WHAT?

SO, THINK ABOUT IT. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE WORKING ON THIS AWFUL SELF-CENTERED STUFF. I HOPE THAT YOU REALIZE THAT YOU ARE AS CAPABLE AND AS GUILTY AS THOSE TO WHOM YOU ARE SO UPSET.
CUT SOME SLACK! RELAX! IN COMPARISON TO YOUR LOVE FOR GOD, LOVE FOR FAMILY, LOVE FOR FRIENDS AND YOUR HEALTH … ALL THESE SCRATCHY THINGS DROP QUICKLY DOWN THE LIST OF “WHAT’S IMPORTANT IN LIFE”.
SO – REALLY! LET’S CUT IT OUT! SELF-ABSORBED, EASILY ANNOYED THIN SKIN CREATES A A DISTRACTION FROM LIFE’S IMPORTANT THINGS AND IS ROBBING PEOPLE OF GOOD LIVING. AND, MOST LIKELY, IT IS ALSO ROBBING THEIR LOVED ONES OF THAT SAME GOOD LIVING.

SUMMARY - THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU GET IN SOME SILLY “YANK” ABOUT SOMETHING – THINK ABOUT THIS MESSAGE AND:
1. PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. (LAY HOLD OF ETERNAL LIFE.)
2. INTERRUPT THE MADNESS. PUT ON THICK SKIN FOR THIN SKIN.
3. MOSTLY, PUT ON LOVE. HUG SOMEONE. FIND SOMEONE WHO NEEDS SOME SERVING. SERVE THEM AND YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT YOUR OWN HURT WILL GO AWAY.