The steel wool affect

I want to be Steel Wool

    Have you ever felt like a weakling or a failure when it comes to communication or confrontation?

I have to admit that I am somewhat of a softy and I have to fight the urge to tuck my tail and run in the opposite direction when I must face opposition.  I have a friend who told me once that I was like a cotton ball; she has even called me cotton a few times. I know that what she was saying about me was not meant to be negative but there is the feeling of inadequacy that comes with being a cotton ball.        When you are soft as cotton, people tend  to not take you serious, you end up doing things you really don't want to and people walk all over you. When you are soft as cotton people also feel like they have to "tippy toe" around you so they don't  hurt your feelings, I hate that!
    On the other hand being known as harsh and unapproachable has its drawbacks too. I would hate to be the one that makes people duck into empty rooms when they see me coming, I have no desire to cause people to feel like they must always be on their guard with me.
    Somewhere in the middle is the answer, Somewhere between cotton and metal scraper is the perfect mix of strength and gentleness, grit and compassion. Somewhere between cotton and metal scraper is the steel wool pad, soft yet strong.

When we read Colossians 3 the instructions are clear; clothe yourself in compassion, kindness, humility and patience. We have to choose to put these on, most times it does not come natural. It takes a little compassion and patience to “bear with” someone, and kindness and humility is definitely involved when it comes to forgiveness.
   I decided I would rather be compared to steel wool; it’s soft yet durable, it’s gentle yet scrubs away the toughest baked on gunk and leaves the pan shining, it’s great at gently sanding away little wood burs and you are left with a beautiful smooth surface.

   Endeavoring to see people as Jesus does really helps. Jesus is always kind and gentle, he always shows us compassion and patience and I am so thankful for that. Using these verses in Colossians as a guide to communication and interaction with others is more than just a good idea, its a template for successful relationships and change.

Colossians 3:12, 13, 17

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself 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 whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”