Are You a Lemon?

We had a car once that needed to have constant repair service. If it was not one thing, it was another. Parts were always breaking and needing to be replaced or treated in some way. It was expensive; it was high maintenance. It was expensive and frustrating to own such a car! Most of us call those kinds of cars lemons.

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I have found that people are very similar in a way. So the question is: are YOU a high or low maintenance kind of person? That is a pretty scary question isn’t it? None of us want to admit that we might be a high maintenance person. How do we know what a high maintenance person looks like? Here are some clues:

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• they are focused on their “feelings or emotions” (what others say to them, how they say it to them)
• they need constant verbal praise to carry on whatever task they are doing
• they are often “wounded” by others
• offended easily
• always need to “talk” about something that is bothering them
• pout to get attention and are angry if they do not get the attention

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In other words, high maintenance people are roller coaster personalities and emotionally exhausting to relate with because they require so much attention. I think you get the picture.

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Does this describe you? If it does, don’t despair! The word of God gives us some very practical solutions to help us change. In Colossians 3: 1–5 we are told to set our minds on things above and not on the things on the earth. We are told to consider the members of our earthly bodies as dead. Skip down to verses 8–17 and we see what we are to put off and what to put on. I think the key here is to practice the "put ons" starting in verse 12. These "put ons" are a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other…..just as the Lord forgave you. Verse 14 tells us to put on love.

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If we would apply these few verses our lives would begin to be transformed. Not only do they help those us who may be high maintenance ourselves to overcome, but it will help those of us who have to deal with high maintenance people treat them with love and kindness. God is amazing isn’t He?
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Prayer: Lord, the last thing I want is for others to feel like I am a high maintenance person. Please help me to overcome and to grow up into Christ in all things. Help me as I practice the put offs and put ons listed in Colossians. 3. Teach me to set my mind on things above and to make Jesus Christ Lord of my life in all ways. Thank you.

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Challenge: Begin to take notice of how you relate to others and ask the Lord to open your eyes to your status of maintenance requirements.
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Sherry 2010