She was a friend. On Facebook. And a little more than an acquaintance
in ‘real life.’ We’d had some respectful differences of opinion in the past.
She leans to the left; I lean to the right. And, on some issues, we meet in the
middle.
Today, I must have pushed her over the edge.
Here’s what happened.
I read an article on Facebook as I often do in the mornings
before I get out of bed. It’s sort of a routine. Grab the phone, turn off the
alarm, check the social media sites. Yeah, I’m a creature of habit. Someone had
posted an article that I found interesting if a bit disturbing. Although I’m not the most political person,
as an American citizen, I feel a certain obligation to keep informed about what’s
going on in my country, whether I agree with it or not.
I knew, from the content, if I reposted the article I would
get some backlash. So, as I posted it, I added this disclaimer to my post: “This
isn't a political post. Just sharing
something that I find disturbing from a former Secret Service agent.” I figured
my Facebook friends, several of whom have differing yet intelligent opinions,
might post a little response and I looked forward to reading their take on
this. Little did I know that within minutes of posting, I would be severely
judged.
How do you feel when you’ve been judged by someone? The
thing is, we can’t control what others choose to think or feel; we can only
control ourselves. So when I saw a private message within minutes of re-posting
that article, I knew just how it felt to be judged unfairly. This is the message I received: “I think it is time for me to
unfriend you. I don't think I knew who you were in the past. The blatantly
unChristian things that I have read with racist overtones have truly surprised
me. I will pray for you.”
For anyone who
truly knows me, you know that this does not paint an accurate picture of who I
am. Yeah, I’m that gal that posts all the warm fuzzy stuff on your Facebook
page. The one who wants to encourage other people to live above, not beneath,
their circumstances. The one who quotes Rodney King, “Why can’t we all just get
along?”
Ultimately, I’m a
big girl. I can take it. Now, just 12 hours later, I found another post on my
page. Not an article this time, but a quote. A quote that spoke to my heart: “No
matter how good a person you are there will always be someone criticizing you.”
It felt like validation. Must be a God-thing.
Yeah. You know I
shared that one. (You can check out my Facebook page to be sure.)
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather
choose to be content than let someone else’s opinion of me dictate who I truly
am. There will always be someone
criticizing you. The best we can do, you and me, is to define our purpose and
live it. It won’t make us perfect but it will help us be perfectly content in
our own skin.
So next time when someone tries to verbally slap you in the
face, take heart. Remember who you are and Whose you are. And live life happy.
And, if it helps, remember I’ve been there, done that,
bought the t-shirt.
