1. Pray away your thin skin. I know that being told to develop a thick skin is not quickly appreciated. However, there is much virtue in it. For overlooking an offense will prevent those relationship-hindering emotions from forming and causing you to push others away. You may have to start by enduring a ‘smart-Alec’ or two, but it is worth it. Remember, your goal to “go into all the world and preach the gospel,” and you will not get very far if you are forever tending to hurt feelings. You are going to have to toughen up.
2. Start at the back of the line. There are so few people willing to genuinely promote others that you are guaranteed to be held in suspicion by some for doing this. Go ahead, try stepping back so someone else can move forward, and watch God do His work. Pushing everyone else to the front is the true mark of a Christlike leader.
3. Repent of your pride. Smile, believe it or not, we all have too much. If pride has brought down everyone since Satan, Adam, Eve and Cain (to name a few), then know that it lingers within you too. ‘Me-first’ did not confine itself to your two-year-old-self, you just developed ever more sophisticated ways of justifying it.
4. Acknowledge your limitations. The prudent among us excel in this ability. They wisely discern the present limits of their talents and never overstep those limits lest they destroy their cause for Christ. They don’t make promises they cannot keep, and they do not invest God’s time, effort, and opportunities on non-Kingdom time wasters.
5. Go forth with care in your heart. Jesus’ starting point was an open heart and a welcoming hand: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt.11:28). Small acts of kindness go a long way to build godly reputations, and those are the reputations that bring glory to our God. Care and compassion are the building blocks of Christian influence.
So, what better way to face tomorrow than to prepare our hearts today.
John Staiger
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