阅读经文 

Clayton警员在芝加哥南区长大，他被鼓励去当警员，服务他的社区 。他曾经冒着生命危险逮捕逃犯。当处境需要时，他可以秉公行事不徇私情。但他也会来到RCM赠送单车和马戏团入场券给小孩子们，并且在新学年开始时到学校送学习用品给他们。他性格外刚内柔，为人意志坚强但同时也能留意到别人的需要。每当看见这些同时拥有两种很不同的恩赐的人，便令我备受激励。

马丁·路德·金牧师曾有一篇相关的讲章，名为《外刚内柔》，这篇讲章对一些有时感觉自己格格不入的人很有帮助。

作为耶稣的跟随者，我们不可为了顺应社会对我们的期望而阻止我们发挥神所赋予的潜力。作为神的儿女，我们既可以灵巧像蛇但又要驯良像鸽子、刚毅但又不失温柔、富有创意但又有条不紊、深思熟虑但又身体力行。

你觉得你自己的性格中具有哪些看似互相矛盾的特质组合呢？

Officer Clayton grew up on the South Side of Chicago and was inspired to become a police officer to serve his community. He has arrested hardened criminals in life-threatening situations. He can be tough skinned and all business in situations where he needs to be. He also comes by Roseland Christian Ministries to bring bicycles for children, tickets to the circus, and school supplies for kids when the school year starts. He is both tough and tender. He is strong-willed and sensitive to the needs of others.

I am inspired by people who are a synthesis of gifts that we don't normally attribute together. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered a sermon on this topic, titled, "Tough Minds and Tender Hearts." This sermon is a gift to anyone who may feel like a square peg in a round hole at times.

Following Jesus requires that we not give into societal expectations if they diminish the fullness of who God made us to be. We have in us, as children of God, the capacity to be both as shrewd as a serpent and as innocent as a dove, tough and tender, creative and organized, thoughtful and action oriented.

In what ways are you a synthesis of attributes that may seem like contradictions but come together to form you?