BEING SENSITIVE TO OTHERS

In the Bible we read that Jesus was repeatedly sensitive to people and what they were dealing with, and He reached out to them with mercy and compassion.  Recovering the life God intends us to live includes learning how to move away from being overly sensitive about our own needs, being more aware of what others are going through, and compassionately caring for them.

Don’t be jealous or proud but be humble and consider others more important than yourselves.  Care about them as much as you care about yourselves.  (Philippians 2:3-4 CEV)

It’s important to be sensitive about what we say, when we say it, and how we say it.  We need to be honest and compassionate to those we are speaking with.  This goes together with truth telling.

…Everyone should be quick to listen.  But they should be slow to speak.  They should be slow to get angry.  ...Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs.  Then what you say will help those who listen.  (James 1:19, Ephesians 4:29 NIRV)

God’s word instructs us to be careful about what we do and say so that we won’t offend others.  When we insensitively say and do “what we want, when we want to,” we may harm those who are seeking to recover from hurtful situations.

You say, “I have the right to do anything.”  But not everything is helpful.  Again you say, “I have the right to do anything.”  But not everything builds us up.  No one should look out for their own interests.  Instead, they should look out for the interests of others.  (1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NIRV)

God desires that we have confidence in being the person He created us to be.  He longs for us to get rid of feelings of inferiority which may lead us to living over-sensitively to the words and actions of others.  God encourages us to stand strong in His love and acceptance of who we are. 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Help me to speak and behave with wisdom and compassion.  Help me to be gentle and kind in all my dealings with others. Amen