I’ve seen sensitive people effectively deal with hard situations in ministry. I’ve seen sensitive people exacerbate the same kinds of situations. Why? Because there are two kinds of sensitive. In this post we will look at the healthy kind of sensitivity. The next post will consider the unhealthy kind.
Characteristics of People Sensitive in the Healthy Way
Healthy sensitivity will be characterized by one or more of the following:
- responsiveness to the feelings and needs of others
- consideration of other people’s time, health, resources, etc.
- empathy in trying to look at the issue from the other person’s perspective
- sympathy for how the person is affected by the change or difficulty
- awareness of people around you and not so focused on the task or objective that people are ignored or walked upon
- tactfulness in how something is said, not merely blurting out what needs to be communicated
- interest in the other person’s thoughts or opinions
What a difference it makes when we approach people in hard situations with the above sensitivity.
People feel cared about.
People feel understood.
People feel respected.
When people feel this way, they tend to be much more cooperative and respond in kind. Hard situations, though still difficult, go so much better. How we approach people can have a huge effect on the outcome as seen in so many church conflicts. People with the right message communicated without sensitivity can leave a trail of damage.
Why Healthy Sensitivity Makes a Difference
Healthy sensitivity makes such a difference because it lines up with God’s Word wherein we learn that Jesus came “full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). If we are going to be Christ-like than we too must “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). — Certainly sensitivity is a part of grace and love.
God provided us with many guidelines of how we are to relate with one another.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Col. 3:12-15)
— Certainly sensitivity is wrapped up in these qualities God expects His people to exhibit toward one another.
When our message, methods, and overall ministry efforts are coupled with a sensitivity toward people, we will tend to more effectively reach our goals and also meet the needs of people.
I praise God for the objectivity He has given you!!! In our ministry team in the rural parts of South Africa amoungst the Tsonga/NorthSotho peoples, we have 4 “white” workers; 2 “normal” ;} and 2 sensitive. Interesting. Us 2 sensitive are being pushed out of the way (and now I’m not sensitive about it ;)) because we’re sensitive. The other 2 take up our ministries and run away with it. Typical scenario. Thanks for the teaching of taking care not to fall in the trap of unhealthy sensitivity but to use it as a precious tool for the Kingdom of God.
You are welcome, Louise. What you described is not uncommon within a given ministry. In the post about unhealthy sensitivity I noted people’s reaction to such sensitivity … walk on egg shells around them or they too get defensive. I failed to include how some will just walk right over the “sensitive” ones among them, as you said, pushing them out of the way. Either way, the reaction is not good. I encourage the two “sensitive” ones among you to work through the 40 Day Challenge mentioned in that post, holding each other accountable. It was originally developed to help another “sensitive” servant and has greatly helped her. When she finds herself slipping back into it, she redoes the 40 Day Challenge to regain perspective. The unhealthy sensitivity can grow out of some personality traits, conditioning due to upbringing, or some really bad past experiences. Consequently some of this might be ingrained. God will bring victory and help you rise above but because if it is ingrained, it will tend to be your default mode. Through time my friend has become quicker to identify signs she is slipping back into her default mode and is therefore quicker to pull on God’s grace and power to regain the necessary perspective.
Thank you, we’ll do. Until now, my friend & I “eat” Scriptures applied to self as affirming statements ‘for breakfast’…it helps, we’re also thus holding each other accountable. Positive peer pressure, you could say…
Thanks so much
Wonderful! It sounds like you have already taken some very good steps. As we can read in Ps. 19:6-14, digesting the Word is just what is needed. As Jesus said, truth is what sets us free.