By human nature, whether realized or not, we tend to build barriers. Sometimes certain people may have hurt you in a way that you instinctively build walls around you to keep everyone that even remotely reminds you of that experience on the other side of that wall. Other times these barriers are built to keep certain people at a safe distance who we fell have proven to be untrustworthy. In summary, when we, consciously or unconsciously, feel threatened, we tend to create emotional, mental, physical, and/or spiritual roadblocks. We put up a “road closed” sign in our minds preventing others from entering our safe space.
As followers of Christ, it is our goal however to remove such barriers and keep as many roads to us open as possible. This requires surrendering to, fully trusting, and allowing the Holy Spirit to move in your heart and mind and transform what has long been human nature to divine nature, a new you.
A better and more effective effort is to install boundaries of protection when and where necessary to carefully guard our walk in Christ, and obedience to the Kingdom lifestyle of fully living by the Spirit in God’s design and will.
You may ask, what’s the difference in these two, barriers verses boundaries?
A barrier is anything keeping progress from being made in a direction you are working toward within you. A side effect, among others, shrinking our influence for the Lord. An example that most men can understand is in the game of football. A good offense makes progress by removing barriers, which is exactly why there is a front line between the defense and the quarterback.
Barriers are all about us and our self-imposed protection, formed from traumatic memories, towards our relationship with others. They are our so-called roadblocks placed to keep another from entering our safe space, again being emotional, mental, physical, and/or spiritual.
Barriers are obviously unhealthy both to us, others, and our walk in Christ.
Boundaries on the other hand support a healthy alternative that defines our stand with all around us, in any setting, who we are and what we are committed to maintain our relationship with God and be the person we are set apart, and set out, to be for Him, and our self-worth, which is in Him.
History has proven mankind has always had dividing lines. Some are created geographically and by other natural means, while others are invisible and unwritten. We tend to separate from each other by economics, race, politics, religion, education, and language, to name a few. We place a focus more on what divides us than unites us. We are taught at an early age how to disconnect from one another into neat and tidy categories taught to us by the many factors of our upbringing.
In the Bible we find the Pharisees and teachers of the Law proving this all too well with their displays of issues with Jesus from the moment He stepped foot inside their territory. Why? Because He crossed their boundaries and blew past their barriers. He would interact with anyone—Jewish or Gentile, male or female, good or bad, rich or poor, religious or heathen. That was very offensive to them based on the dividing lines they were taught they were right, indeed called to construct.
A good verse to show this is Matthew 9:10-13
Matthew 9:9–13 (DARBY)
9 – And Jesus, passing on thence, saw a man sitting at the tax-office, called Matthew, and says to him, Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.
10 – And it came to pass, as he lay at table in the house, that behold, many tax-gatherers and sinners came and lay at table with Jesus and his disciples.
11 – And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax-gatherers and sinners?
12 – But Jesus hearing it, said, They that are strong have not need of a physician, but those that are ill. 13 But go and learn what that is—I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I have not come to call righteous men but sinners.
As followers of Jesus, we commit to walk only where He leads, not walk the tightrope lines drawn by the cultures we live within.
Representing Christ today, we work to add, not subtract; multiply, not divide, so we can bring His message of hope and grace to everyone, anyone ready to hear.
I hope this gives you cause to contemplate on any barriers you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal within you and ask Him to guide you in your efforts to remove them through His power within you.
Then, ask Him to show you how to build healthy boundaries to show all you know and meet your true commitment to your walk in Christ Jesus and the perfect will of your Father God. Ask the Lord to use these boundaries as a positive influence, drawing in others a desire to so the same.