Calluses

 This world, with its sharp rocks and long roads, jealous people and unknown outcomes, it dangerous. And in order to survive in it, we usually develop calluses—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual calluses. 

When our shoes don't fit very well, we develop calluses where the shoes rub our feet. When people call us names or snub us, we decide those people are worthless or that we don't care about their opinions. Those are emotional calluses. When people contradict what we think is true, we figure those people are delusional or making up facts to satisfy their whims. Those might be called mental calluses. And when we discover fears and lonelinesses and emptinesses within us, we distract ourselves or try to deaden our spiritual appetites. 

These calluses are what enables us to watch the news without being terrified or what helps us tolerate obnoxious people or watch violent movies or hold back our tears when people tell us tales of woe. These calluses help us to function and yet, they are the very thing that causes us to have hearts of stone, unworkable souls unable to house God's spirit or to develop into anything other than a shrunken, immature, unhatched fetus. 

I've noticed that people's calluses seem to be more obvious when people are in a group. Something about all the people looking at each other, all the colliding little powers and fears sparking off one another like a match thrown into a drawer of fireworks, causes people to be particularly skeptical or tough or showy or sarcastic or prideful or bombastic or withdrawn. Those who've believed in Jesus and have let him begun to work on their hearts seem to seize-up in a crowd and revert back to their old callused self-defenses. They stop believing Jesus is for that moment and instead fall back on what they're used to using to protect themselves against others judgements or differences or faults or whatever.

I suppose crowds aren't the scariest place for all people. Perhaps airplane flights or in isolation or when burdened with responsibilities might reveal the calluses in others more than a crowded room. But how funny is it that that Christ came to remake our hearts so that we would be better suited to live with him and get along with others, and yet with others is where we might have the greatest tendency to revert back to the old survival techniques. What a funny world this is? And how important it is in all situations at all times to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, even in a crowded room. 

What does that look like? I can't say I entirely know, but I'm finding that repeating God's truths in my mind a helpful way to keep me from believing my calluses are the best protection. So for example:

This person seems way more put together than me. — Man judges based on the outward appearance. God judges the heart. And God sees your heart through Jesus' blood. You are put together enough for God's acceptance.

This person sure is talking down to me like I don't know anything. — I am not the sum of how other's treat me. My value is worth Christ's life on the cross. God said I'm worth that much. This person doesn't assign my value. 

I don't know anything about this subject. I feel really out of place here. — I don't have to be in the know in order to be a contributor. I can learn and grow int his subject area because I am not the sum of my knowledge. God knows everything and I have the Lord within me, so I'm okay.

Uh oh, tensions are rising. People are disagreeing. I don't feel safe. — I'm not in charge of other people's development here. God's got that. He knows what's going on in everyone's heart here. I am safe because the Lord has me not because everyone is at peace with one another here.

Here comes so-and-so to talk my ear off. — They can take nothing from me that the Lord has given me for eternity. I can stand up for myself and my boundaries, and the Lord can give me patience and understanding here.

Etc.

More on Coping Mechanisms: Brain Block, Making New Grooves in Our Brain, Enneagram Intro, Baptism Testimony, My Default Mode, Self to Lose; Self to Find