I have seen extremely hurting people behave obnoxiously and rudely to keep people away so they will not get hurt also. If every one thinks that those hurting people are ugly, then potential friends or enemies will all stay away. Then they cannot get hurt. No one will stay around long enough to bless or to harm. It is easier for these hurting people to make everyone their enemy than to allow any one the chance to cause them more pain.

In extreme cases, these are some ways some of us in the world become after being repeatedly hurt and used and tormented by others. Sometimes people without any intentions to hurt us are rejected before a solid friendship can ever develop, for fear of being hurt again.

I do not hang out with people who have set themselves against me. I do not seek them out. But when I do meet them in passing, it is becoming easier to walk in love toward them.

God's way is the exact opposite of the world and human tendencies. If we want to protect our heart from being hurt, then instead of with holding love from others, we need to walk in love and increase our walk of love. A breastplate of faith and love and righteousness will protect our heart from the arrows of man.

1Thessalonians 5:8

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love...

Ephesians 6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.

Breastplates of righteousness, faith and love will protect our hearts from EVERY fiery dart and attack against us.

Hurtful words bounce off of a breastplate of forgiveness. The breastplate of righteousness protects our heart against assaults based in shame, condemnation and guilt. We are free from shame in Christ. We are forgiven. All things are new. Mary Magdalene, a former prostitute from whom came many devil spirits, was able to freely serve and minister to Jesus Christ himself. We can serve and minister to others in the Lord freely without shame, guilt and condemnation also. The breastplate of righteousness enables us.

Love endures and is patient with others. The breastplate of love can withstand difficult situations and difficult people.

Love doesn't think it is better than those who hurt us. The breastplate of love allows us to love and stay involved with others. We do not need to isolate ourselves from people to avoid being hurt.

Love does not retaliate. Love does not behave in an unbecoming manner in order to keep people at bay.

Love bears up under pressure. Love believes the best in others. Love activates faith. Love hopes. Love never fails. (I Cor. 13:4-8)

The breastplates of righteousness, faith and love is all the protection our heart needs from fiery darts and from any attack from Satan.

Let the arrows come. Let people say and do things that are designed to hurt us. The breastplate of love will deflect the pain and the arrows will bounce right off. No harm will come. Let people try to shame us and condemn us. The breastplate of righteousness protects us from condemnation and guilt and shame. We are forgiven in Christ. We were made righteous, not because we are good, but because God is good.

Recognize who you are in Christ to activate your breastplate of righteousness and make what he did for you your confession.

Love deflects the hurt that might have been caused by the piercings inflicted by others. The breastplate of love is important to have on. God loves us unconditionally and continually. He is kind and patient and endures long with us. Let us do so toward others.

But above all protective wear, use a shield of faith. Faith puts out the fire.

Ephesians 6:16

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

-Carol Kenreigh