Vulnerability

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Tuesday May 13, 2008

Vulnerability is more powerful than force!
We've often heard of the idea Jesus taught of turning the other cheek, but lets take a different angle.

Luke 6:29 (NIV) (Jesus speaking)
29. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also.

This verse actually outlines a way to effectively communicate with others! When you turn your other cheek to someone who just struck you on the other one, you are basically making yourself vulnerable on purpose. Usually, the response to violence is violence; but if the response is turning the other cheek, you are basically saying, "I don't want to fight".

"Turning the other cheek" in this manner can end a lot of fighting, yelling, and fussing in a hurry! If you open up and share something intimate about yourself with someone, or if you tell someone one of your weaknesses, 99 times out of 100, that person will not respond angrily, but will instead be willing to listen, as long as you don't change your stance and start attacking!

It doesn't matter who is wrong or who is right in an argument; fighting never solves an issue unless a person is so hard-headed and stubborn that he or she will never be open to listening-- and in that case, fighting is usually STILL useless! But if people are open to change, then the whole key is how communication happens between them.

James 4:1,2 (NIV)
1. What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2. You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

Sometimes it's just better to let the other person have his or her point of view, and not to even try to sway them. People respond better to gentleness and vulnerability than they do to force!

PRAYER
Thank You Father for loving me unconditionally, and trusting me even though I often mess up and don't deserve Your trust. Help me to always remember Your example in how I treat others.
In Jesus Name, Amen.

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