Letting your defenses down

September 26, 2006

By Gary Rogers

What is the distance setting on your force field?

If you have ever watched a Star Wars movie or Star Trek episode, you probably understand the concept of a force field. You know it is an invisible wall of protection when operating properly can keep anything from penetrating. It holds at a distance anyone who would attempt to get too close for comfort.

Those behind the force field have a sense of security in knowing no one can reach them as long as they stay behind their protective shield. How many times have you watched a ship on one of the aforementioned productions put up its shields and repel the arsenal of an enemy vessel?

It’s science fiction, but the concept holds true in our lives.

We all get hurt. Someone disappoints us. We deal with a terrible situation. Someone violates our trust. It is a time of personal attack! Quick, engage the “force field”! Once up and running, our emotional force field will keep at bay all who would attempt to approach us. Our hurt goes deep, and the strategy of the force field is to avoid becoming vulnerable again.

But emotional force fields don’t always work to our advantage. When someone attempts to get to know us better, the force field keeps them at a distance. When a person reaches out to us with godly affection, the force field holds them at a distance. When people you love and care for want to spend a little time of fun and relaxation with you, wow the force field is locked on autopilot and can’t be disengaged.

Quick, call Scottie or Spock or Luke or Chewbacca!

So, what is the distance setting on your force field? In other words how close will you let people get to you?

Yes, hurt goes deep and it is hard to recover from disappointment. But people who care for you should not have to pay the price for those who have wronged you.

We must be willing to be vulnerable again. Vulnerability sounds like a weakness. It sounds like a flaw in wisdom and understanding. But it is really a Christlike quality of love. Becoming vulnerable is turning off the force field. Others can approach you again when the force field is off. As Christians we need to be approachable to share the love of Christ.

Gary Rogers is senior pastor of First Assembly of God in Coweta, Okla.