Emotionally, my sensitive spot is when people are laughing at me and not with me.

Ezra 4:1-24

Reference:  v.13   Furthermore, the king should know that if this city is built and its walls are restored, no more taxes, tribute or duty will be paid, and the royal revenues will suffer. (NIV Bible)

Explore:  Most people will have a sensitive spot.  Physically, mine is behind my knees.  I can't stand people touching behind my knees; it makes me squirm away from them so fast that people are surprised I can move so quickly.  Emotionally, my sensitive spot is when people are laughing at me and not with me.  If I think that someone thinks that I am foolish then I will do anything within my power to change their perspective.  Sometimes this weakness helps me to lift my game, while other times I waste my time caring about other people's opinion.

Application:  When the enemies of the Israelites were trying to stop them from rebuilding Jerusalem they went to the current king for assistance.  To move him into action they went straight for his sensitive spot... wealth.  They knew that if they highlighted that the rebuilding of Jerusalem would be detrimental to his bank balance, he would be on their side.  And sure enough, it worked.  For the king, money was more important to him than people and so when his wealth was threatened he jumped to defend it.  It is good to be aware of what our sensitive spots are, so that when they are challenged we can stop and take stock for a moment to see whether defending our sensitive spot is really the best outcome.  Our sensitive spots can sometimes blind us to what is really going on, so we must be wise and try to look at the whole situation before jumping in.  We must not let our sensitive spots rule our lives but lead with wisdom and thoughtfulness, and not just jump straight in because we feel threatened.

Prayer:  Lord, we all have those sensitive issues that get under our skin.  May we be aware of what pushes our buttons so that we can act with thought, rather than jumping to conclusions.  Amen.

What is one of your sensitive spots?  How does that affect how you respond?