09/27/2026
TIM’S TAKES — Thick Skin, Tender Heart, Steady Hands
Leadership isn’t a quiet hallway. It’s an arena. And anyone who steps into that arena eventually feels the sting of criticism.
I was talking with a friend recently—someone carrying a heavy leadership mantle—and he shared how rough the last stretch had been. Decisions he made, decisions the company made… all of it had drawn fire. Some fair. Some cheap. Some relentless.
I reminded him of something every leader learns sooner or later: If you’re going to lead, you’re going to take shots. It’s unavoidable. It’s part of the price.
Paul understood this pressure long before any of us: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed… We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” — 2 Corinthians 4:8–9
Leadership exacts a toll on the whole person—mind, body, spirit. And the more faithful you are, the more the darts fly. You haven’t truly led until you’ve felt the sting of the critic’s barbs. That’s why good leaders need thick skin.
But Paul doesn’t stop at the pressure. He reminds us that God uses frail vessels—leaders with cracks, limitations, and bruises—to display the life of Jesus. God doesn’t send abstract truth through angels. He puts truth in real people. Real stories. Real leaders. Then He brings those lives before others so they can see Christ shining through the fractures.
I can recall Bob telling me, “Follow a leader with a limp.” Not the polished performer, not the untouchable expert—but the man who has bled a little, hurt a little, and kept going with Jesus.
Critics rarely see that. They focus on comfort, procedure, preference, convenience. They don’t stop to consider that they may be criticizing God’s project. And that’s not just workplace tension. That’s spiritual warfare.
Nehemiah knew this well. When the sidewalk supervisors tried to derail the wall, he responded in two ways:
-He talked to God about the criticism—before talking to anyone else.
-He stayed on task — “So we built the wall.” The rain of criticism fell, but the bricks kept stacking.
I can almost hear him: “Keep mixing the mortar and hand me another brick.”
Critics demoralize. Leaders encourage. Leaders keep building.
So here’s my take for every leader catching heat right now:
Develop thick skin, keep a tender heart, maintain steady hands—and don’t be afraid to limp. Thick skin to absorb the shots. Tender heart to stay aligned with Jesus. Steady hands to keep building what God assigned you. A limp to remind everyone where your strength comes from.
You may be pressed—just don’t get crushed. You may be perplexed—just don’t despair. You may be knocked down—just don’t stay down.
Eyes up. Chest out. Hands steady. Limp if you have to. Keep handing out bricks.
