The People You Meet on Earth
Humans are social creatures, fashioned by the Almighty for fellowship with others and with Himself. All persons who occupy planet earth are thus interdependent. Even those whose personality causes them to prefer solitariness more than community, cannot advance in isolation from others.
Individuals grow in families, in villages, in cities; they also meet neighbors, school mates, play mates, co-workers, and a multitude of those providing the services one needs and seeks in various settings, and in manifold establishments available in most societies.
People cannot avoid people, even if they might opt for total distance from others. Human creatures, as social beings, are fully interdependent in life. And because each individual is unique, everyone has a contribution to make, and everybody can benefit from the opinions of others, the activities of others, even the mere presence of other fellow humans at certain life moments!
Nevertheless. the very fact that people are different, also brings its problems in human interaction. Some people are bossy, some insist on their way in everything; there are liars, dishonest people, individuals on whom one cannot depend, even for the simplest promises they may make.
This leaves you with a choice:you either cling to some people or you simply avoid them. Jesus Himself established a significant guideline to His disciples as they went about sharing the message of salvation: in case of resistance, to avoid unnecessary confrontations and futile disputes, just shake off the dust from your sandals and move on to more receptive people - those with whom a healthy interaction is possible.
The experience of any person with others is usually very similar when it occurs: some people are worth knowing more intimately, and the effort can be made to effect that reality. Some can be the object of our loving care and assistance, without any fear of them taking undue advantage of us. A few will become peers in projects of common interest. No doubt, there will be those who become closer than a brother!
But there are also persons to be avoided by all means: individuals whose values can become an embarrassment to our Christian testimony, persons whose daily practice and reputation could easily mar our own, if we become too close to them. Not to mention the brutish, the negative spirits, and the self-seeking men and women whose only agenda item is their own self!
Indeed, any day or any year, the people you meet on earth will appear in different sizes and shapes, with open or hidden agendas, with good or evil intentions, eager to build you up, or drive you into non-productivity, if not total failure. Jealousy, disloyalty, and other evil characteristics may dominate their outlook and practice!
Seek always the discernment which the Holy Spirit can offer, and cling to those persons who will ensure mutual benefits (yours and theirs) in any association you establish with them. T.S. Eliot once declared that there are people with whom one speaks with difficulty, as there also are those with whom one speaks in vain. I would still add those with whom one speaks with difficulty at first, but also in vain, after all prior efforts. Avoid all these, if you can!
December 30th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Once again, great insight from Dr. Lyra. So often we feel we need to “fix” people, but we need to remember that sometimes we’re called to shake off the dust and move on to where we can be more help.