Respecting God’s property–others’ feelings
In my previous post, I talked about protecting God’s property–our feelings. This is one of the ways we can live an emotionally-healthy life–but it’s not the only way.
If God calls us to protect our feelings, then we are also called to respect others’ feelings. This might be a little more difficult to accept–I know it is for me. But if I believe God’s word and that my body is the temple of the living God, then that would mean that others’ bodies are the temple of the living God too.
You might ask, “Does this mean I have to agree with them?” Not necessarily. But I can respect their feelings to try to understand them. It’s not an “I win, you lose” situation. Instead, it’s “I understand you, and you understand me.”
This is a delicate balance, wouldn’t you say?
When someone doesn’t express their feelings in a healthy way, the last thing I want to do is respect their feelings. I get defensive, and my immediate response is to come back at them just as they did me. During those times, I try to remember–though I’m not always successful–that my words have the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). I can spark a fire and sin with what I say (James 3:5), or I can be wise and control my tongue (Proverbs 10:19).
I don’t have to resort to “You” statements. Instead, I can go back to “I” statements: “Y’know, right now, I feel small. I feel angry, and I feel dismissed.” As I said in my previous post, when I use I statements, I own my feelings. When someone else uses I statements, they own their feelings. I can respect that.
Prayer: Father, Help me to protect my feelings and to help others do the same. I want to honor you–and your temple.
Come alongside…How difficult is it for you to respect others’ feelings? How do you generally respond? How can respecting others’ feelings improve your relationships at home, church, work, and in your daily life?
