The Choice is Yours

Every now and then something will show up in my newsfeed over at Facebook that, quite honestly, leaves me a bit baffled.

Take the following quote, for instance.

Ironically, this very quote - that chastises people to not judge the poster of the quote - is, in itself, tinged with not only judgment, but also narcissism (in a self-pity kind of way).

"Don't judge me. You can't handle half of what I've dealt with."

How exactly do the people who post such an update know what other people have or have not experienced? How do they know which specific life experiences other people can or cannot handle?

Please don’t negate someone by assuming their life has been more carefree than yours has, or that they are unable to deal with various experiences. Just because an individual doesn't talk about the trials they've personally been through does not mean that such things haven't happened. 

Everyone has trials in their life; they may not be the exact same trials as yours; but they have, nonetheless, experienced their own share of difficulties.

Additionally, everyone can make the choice to stay stuck in those trials (or in the memory of such trials) -OR- they can choose to walk through the trials and then move on; taking what they have learned and using that to make them a stronger and better person.

*~*~*~*~*

While I’m at it, there’s something else that has been puzzling me for a while . . . what's with the current trend in automatically assuming that a simple difference of opinion or a different way in approaching things is not only judging but also hateful?

For example, take this quote:

"Haters will hate."

Again, just because someone has a difference of opinion doesn’t automatically equate that person to being a hater; at least, it shouldn’t.

There’s an insecurity and a defensiveness that accompanies such attitudes that so eagerly label people that have different opinions and outlooks as "haters."

Shouldn’t our lives and our opinions stand on their own? Do we always have to be accusing those who disagree with us as being judging? Do we always have to be labeling them as haters?

True strength and confidence comes not in labeling other people with derogatory terms and flinging needless accusations towards those that disagree with us, but in simply living one’s own life with sincere joy and purpose.

And that’s my prayer for y’all today . . . that you live your life in Our Lord’s Peace and Joy, and that you look to Him for your sense of self worth; not through angry degradations towards other people. One way will continually strengthen you; the other way will continually embitter you. Which do you want?

Thanks for reading, y’all!
Be blessed,
Sharmie