Thick-skinned

“I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

John 13:20

     Thick-skinned means to be able to reject insults and criticism when picked on or excluded by others. This relates to skin which has become calloused and tough.

     I changed schools when I was in fifth grade so I knew no one. I was shy, timid and awkward which made me a target for bullies. I remember feeling physically ill before school because of the torment the mean girls put me through each day. As time passed, I eventually became strong enough to stand up for myself so I was left alone.

     As an adult, I reflect back on those days and remember how awful it was to be rejected by my peers. Knowing what it felt like to be an outcast has made me more sensitive towards others. Most of us want to belong to something where we’re accepted, acknowledged, and loved. We long to be included and in my opinion, there’s always room for one more. If our heart is truly motivated to please the Lord, we embrace others.      

     Life is full of disappointments, but the Lord uses these times to draw us closer to Him. We have been chosen by God because we are worthy, important, and loved regardless of how we're treated by others. He is constant in our lives. He gives us comfort, reassurance, and confidence in the person we are and hope for the person we want to be. Exclusivity ceases to exist for the believer because Jesus accepts everyone.

     The older I’ve gotten, the more thick-skinned I’ve become. I no longer try to conform to others so I will be accepted into this group or that. Rejection doesn’t sting quiet as bad because I know I’ve been accepted into the most important group of all. I’m a child of God and I have been adopted into His kingdom of believers.