Poker Face
Theme of the Week: Buried Feelings
Rod Nichols
Monday, August 15, 2005
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: Joseph made a hasty exit because he was overcome with emotion … then he washed his face and came out, keeping himself under control (Genesis 43:30-31). Bonus Reading: 2 Kings 8:7-15
I used to play a lot of poker. One key to winning is a poker face. The other players must think you're bluffing when you're not and that you have a great hand when you're bluffing. I had a great poker face.
Unfortunately, that poker face extended to the rest of my life. People often mentioned that I was hard to read, emotionless, a closed book. During my childhood I'd learned to hold in my emotions, to stuff them into the deep, dark recesses of my subconscious. Real men, I believed, don't show emotions.
The problem was that those emotions built up inside of me, like an active volcano. Eventually they'd spew out on someone. I burned a lot of people with my words in those days. Anger flowed readily; it ruined my marriage. It wrecked friendships.
Fortunately, I received Jesus as Lord and began to study His life in the Gospels. Jesus was strong yet showed His emotions. Slowly I learned how to let those emotions out in a positive, loving way. Now I have a marriage and friendships that are deep and fulfilling.
I've probably lost my poker face in the process, but, thanks to the Lord, I now have a good face for life.
—Rod Nichols in Washington
My Response: If I suppress my feelings, what real pressures am I ignoring?
Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity. 1 of 1
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Thank You, Lord, for making me a complete person. Help me to embrace every part of my makeup that You created.
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