Living Palms Up

by Bob Goff, Love Does

 Palms up means you are strong enough to be vulnerable, even with your enemies. Even when you have been tremendously wronged. - Bob Goff, Love Does

Let them turn the other cheek to those who strike them and accept the insults of their enemies. — Lamentations 3:30

When people get angry or defensive they tend to make mistakes. 

But nobody can be defensive with their palms up. 

Go ahead and try it. Right now, wherever you are. Set your hands on your knees and turn your palms toward the sky. Clinch your fists. Most people could get angry at a grapefruit when their fists are clinched. Something about the hardwiring that God gave each of us links the position of our bodies and position of our hearts. 

I’m not sure why we’re wired this way, but I rarely have a client get frustrated or confused or get tempted to exaggerate or tell a lie when his palms are up. I learned this technique from Jesus actually. I used to walk around with my fists clinched, defensive, afraid people were going to take advantage of me. There are also many evils in the world that caused me to clinch my fists. I wanted to be angry and swing at the horrible things people do to one another, especially the things done to kids. 

But it was Jesus who taught me there was nothing I could really lose if I had Him. He taught me to be palms up, just like He was. 

Palms up means you have nothing to hide and nothing to gain or lose. 

Palms up means you are strong enough to be vulnerable, even with your enemies. Even when you have been tremendously wronged. 

Jesus was palms up, to the end. 

Dear God, help me to keep my palms up — both for You and for others.

Are you feeling defensive? Are you angry at a Christian brother and sister? Has someone really hurt you? Today, let’s turn our palms up just like Jesus and bless the Lord with our heart attitudes.