There are those people. Those people who talk too loud on airplanes. Those people who talk too loud in general. Those people who put the toilet paper roll upside down, or worse leave the very last square and put a new roll on top of the sink! Those people. And why do these people annoy us? Because we also have something to say, but we often lack the courage or confidence to say it. And because all of us hate changing the dang toilet paper roll!

Then, there are those people who act out in ways that are cruel and unhealthy. Those people who will project their insecurities on to you, making their problems your problems. There are those people who can handle those people and then there are people like me. People who worry and fret and lose sleep over someone’s careless and irresponsible words. People like me who know better – but can’t help ourselves.

People like me give “those people” power they don’t deserve – the power to make me push away my coffee, turn down food and lose sleep. So why is this so painful for people like me? Because I love those people who hurt me. Because I understand how miserable they must be to make the accusations that they do. Because to say that I don’t have my own insecurities would be beyond hypocritical.

However, to condemn someone unjustifiably, to harass me, and to threaten me is in no way okay. But those people have no problem acting irrationally. Meanwhile, people like me struggle between reacting and being compassionate. It’s sad to see those people who are so beautiful not recognize that they are worthy of relationships that foster security and friendships that are mutually beneficial.

I am thankful that I’ve experienced my own pain. That’s why I can look beyond those people and their actions and love them, pray for them, and forgive them. It is because of my pain that I can avoid telling those people that they are ding-dong bats and instead lovingly suggest that they get help – so they don’t destroy relationships that are vital to their growth and well-being.

We will often be hurt by those people because we are human. But today, let’s reclaim the power we allowed them to possess yesterday. Let’s wake up, make our beds, count our blessings, work out, and handle our business in a way that causes even our enemies to be at peace with us. (Proverbs 16:7)