"they dissect everything we say."

Yet another Hawk Nelson lyric.  Haha, I'm a band skipper I 'spose.  I'll really, really like one band, but after I know every single lyric to all of their songs, I'll move onto another one.  Horrible, I know, but it's true :)

As Christians, it's almost as if everyone is continually examining our every move.  We can't do anything wrong without it going unnoticed.  You slip up and say a cuss word and everyone goes ballistic.  You put down someone and you're automatically a hypocrite that doesn't love anyone and hates the world. Lame, I know.  But it happens.  A lot.

Maybe I see it more 'cause I'm in public school.  I don't know.  I just feel like I have to be perfect all day everyday.  And you all know that's impossible.  So how do we take this constant criticism without blowing up and ruining our reps (not to mention our witnesses)?

Well, I found some verses that pretty much spilled it out for me.  God wants us to take it.  He wants us to love on them, even if they're everything but loving to us.  Hard? Yes.  Doable? Yes...with His help.

1 Peter 2:23 (this one was my favorite) - When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

James 1:2-4 - Consider pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

1 Corinthians 13:6-7 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, and always perseveres.

So, on an ending note...

"You can take the one thing I have left, I'd give it all away for so much less.  Can even take the heart inside my chest, whoa, whoa.  You can take the one thing I have left, beat me to the ground and take my breath.  But you can't take who I am, whoa, whoa..."