The Christian Bubble-Wrap

I used to be hyper-sensitive to the feelings of those around me (probably the product of having a mom with borderline personality), and I never wanted to do anything that would hurt them.

Hurtful things included sharing about my successes or dating a guy that a girl I knew had a crush on—anything that would trigger envy, low self-esteem, a feeling of inequality or a sense of lack. I never wanted to give people the feeling that I was successful or happy. I projected an image of lack and suffering, so that people felt better about themselves after they heard my tales of woe.

I lived life tip-toeing around people’s sensitivities, and I thought I was being a wonderful person. Wasn’t I looking out for my friends without them even knowing it? (the right hand not letting the left hand know it was giving?).

I think much of this had to do with the fact that I grew up in an Asian household in one of the safest large cities in America. I was raised believing my job in life was to be sweet, inoffensive, and of use. Also, since I grew up sheltered in a city known as ‘the bubble,’ I had the instinct to bubble-wrap people. Any sort of mess was a catastrophe, and I felt personally responsible if I caused it.

But now, I realize that it isn’t my job to protect people from their feelings. It’s God’s job and their job to work through their feelings. Being Christian doesn’t mean being “nice” by protecting people from hardship. It means being willing to work through their feelings with them and praying to God to magnify His love and glory in their lives.   

If we had the Spirit to see through God’s eyes and the faith to believe, we’d know that God LOVES everyone. Our present fortune and their present misfortune should NOT generate a sense of inequality, because the tough experiences that that person is going through may be just as great a manifestation of God’s love as any blissful event that we are celebrating.