Into the Fire

Oh my, aren’t there just so many ways for us to be hurt by others? Geez. Too many, really.

Recently someone hurt me—not badly—and had no clue about it either. Which is fine. Sort of. Kind of. It’s over the internet, e-mail friendships, like that. Most of it is me: oversensitive to the max. Greatly in need of a lot of affirmation. So, with me when you’re establishing friendships, it is my understanding that you respond to people. When you have the time and energy, of course.

The problem with me is my passionate personality. I invest the works. I like inspiring spiritual discussions. I like real. I like honesty. I like communication even when there’s disagreement, providing tenderness is involved. I like humor, speculation, and politically incorrect. I like emotion and vulnerability. I like people. I love praying for people.

People are not to be discarded and deleted like so much unnecessary spam. Especially when they value you, your opinion, and whatever relationship or friendship has been established through the e-missions. When someone shuts you down, or shuts you off, it’s demeaning and devaluing, and it makes you feel foolish. Especially foolish—like you must have misread all those meaningful communications and misinterpreted them as a sincere friendship. You feel like blushing in embarrassment!

I’m not talking about one-sided babbling here. I’m talking about intense and valuable discussion and communication. Friendship stuff. Then poof! It disappears. Dumped.

In many ways it’s no big deal. In other ways it is. If I diss somebody, I want to know about it and make things right. I want to make sure they understand they’re valuable to me, but that I can’t maintain things at the previous pace. Friends we haven’t met in person are no less valuable once the seeds of relationship are sown. You don’t just eliminate friends from your to do lists.

Just some thoughts for you who do a lot of communicating over the internet. Treat people well. Communicate rightly. If you have to leave the discussion, send a note to briefly explain. Don’t just disappear. You might hurt someone’s feelings without even intending to. And it really isn’t necessary. Or kind.

Father, we are fragile sometimes. You’ve made us to need each other, to establish sound relationships through you, and to treat others as we hope to be treated. Help me not to disrespect anyone, Lord. I don’t want to hurt anyone by being inconsiderate in any way. Thank you for giving me a tender heart, Lord, but help me to give grace to those who seem aloof at times. May my conduct be pleasing to you, Lord, in the Name of Jesus, Amen.