What I Work to Remember - They Are People

In the midst of their behaviors, I often forget that behind the behaviors are people.  When they rant about some cause or press some agenda down the throats of everyone around them, I forget that they are people.  When the worst of them triggers the worst of me and I wish things upon them that I should not wish upon them, I would be wise to remember that they are people.  When they respond with selfishness or ignorance and I sit pondering what's wrong with them, I need to remember that they are people...just like me.

It doesn't take long to become jaded.  We can move rather quickly to a position of hatred, bitterness and resentment.  And in doing so, we become contributors to the division and alienation that we say we hate.  Moreso, we become the people that we say we dislike, and in doing so we become a little less (or maybe a whole lot less) like God.  And so, maybe we need to think about things differently.  Maybe we need to realize that all of these people are 'people.'  That behind the behaviors, the choices, the rants and thoughtless behaviors, there are people who are just like us who are imperfect (just like us).  And maybe in realizing that, we can begin to close the gap instead of contributing to it.