SENSITIVENESS OR SELFISHNESS?
By Geo. H. Hubbard
SENSITIVENESS is a Christian grace. Sensitiveness is an unchristian vice. The sensitive person is a blessing to society. The sensitive person is a nuisance in any community. The sensitive spirit should be assiduously cultivated by all. The sensitive spirit is by all means to be striven against and conquered. It all depends upon what you mean by sensitiveness. There is a true sensitiveness, which implies great delicacy of feeling and perception. And there is a false sensitiveness, that should be spelled selfishness. What a pity that one name should be applied to two qualities so nearly opposite! There is the “sensitive plant.” How it shrinks from every rude touch! Just brush its leaves carelessly with your hand, and straightway they fold themselves close together and droop downwards, a touching picture of hurt feelings. Society abounds in sensitive plants. They grow luxuriantly in the church. Everywhere we may find them. They are always on the lookout for slights and criticisms. They think a great deal about their rights and dignities. They may be good workers, but they must be appreciated. Their feelings are very tender, and they wear them where they will be exposed to the most violent shocks. A suspicion of neglect, a word of opposition or criticism, and they are offended. They stop work at once, and will not do anything more till they have been duly flattered and cajoled. And even then they often assume the air of martyrs. But are they as careful of the feelings of others as they expect others to be of their feelings?—Very rarely. As a rule, your sensitive soul is quite careless of the rights and feelings of others. When you hear one say, “I am exceedingly sensitive,” you are safe to conclude that he is exceedingly selfish. True sensitiveness, on the other hand, is that delicacy of spirit and quickness of perception that makes us very tender in our treatment of others. It does not make us more ready to take offense, but it saves us from giving offense. It makes us considerate of the weaknesses and prejudices and foibles of our neighbors. It restrains us from trespassing on their rights and prerogatives. Two men were partners in a country store, both of whom liked a joke, but one was universally popular, while the other was equally unpopular. One day the latter said to the former, “Why is it that you can joke with people as much as you like, and they never seem to mind it; but, if I joke them, they always get angry?” “That is plain enough,” replied the other. “I always joke people about something that they care nothing about; but when you joke a man, you select the sorest spot you can find, and then hit him as hard as you can right there.” The first man was sensitive in the proper sense; the second was not. Jesus Christ was the most truly sensitive of men, yet He never took offense. His own feelings were entirely consecrated to His work. He never “stood on His dignity;” He never claimed His rights; He never fretted because He was not appreciated. But how tenderly He treated the feelings and rights of others; how patient with Samaritan prejudice; how gentle towards Galilean ignorance and stupidity; how careful at all times to treat even bigotry and superstition in such a manner that the smallest bud of faith should not be blighted! Of such sensitiveness the world can never have enough. To quickly perceive that we are hurting another’s feelings, or that we are touching an unwelcome topic; to avoid all words or actions that might make others unhappy; to have the faculty of soothing ruffled spirits and relieving the friction and jarring of life,—this is a great gift. It is a most Christly grace. But he who possesses it will never be heard saying, “I am exceedingly sensitive.”—Rev. Geo. H. Hubbard, in S. S. Times.