Are You Thick Skinned?

self-interest, God, prayer, inspirationLately I’ve been starting my day with a slice of fresh lemon in a mug of hot water. I enjoy the taste, and have also heard this is good for digestion.

The last lemon we purchased had a very thick rind on it. This made the skin to pulp ratio higher and produced a bitter taste. It also meant the slice was bigger and took up more room in my mug.

When I mentioned to my husband that this lemon had a very thick skin, he asked if being thick- skinned was a bad thing. I replied that I prefer my fruit to be thin-skinned but it’s not good for me to be that way.

If I’m referred to as thin-skinned it means that I am oversensitive. My feelings get hurt very easily. Everything becomes about me. This can make life very uncomfortable.

Conversely, being thick-skinned would mean I have set up a barrier between myself and everyone around me. Although I would not be easily offended, the fact that I would be largely unaffected by the needs and feelings of others would not be positive. Again everything would end up being about me.

Neither of these scenarios is where I want to be. I am aware that my life runs much smoother when the needs of others are as important, if not more so, than my own self-interest. Spending regular time in prayer with God will ensure that I don’t become too thick-skinned to follow his direction for my life.

And then what happened? Well, when Israel tried to be right with God on her own, pursuing her own self-interest, she didn’t succeed. The chosen ones of God were those who let God pursue his interest in them, and as a result received his stamp of legitimacy. The “self-interest Israel” became thick-skinned toward God. (Romans 11:7 The Message)

%d bloggers like this: