QUARANTINE LIFE: FRIDAY THOUGHTS

The ongoing war, and war crimes being committed, are but a mirror, reflecting situations in homes, relationships, families, workplaces, groups, and organizations, in which targeted people are existing, navigating, and just trying to survive—and gaining sympathy and empathy, daily, as truths are revealed. 

If you’ve ever been the target of someone’s campaign, the whole massacre is triggering, as you feel helpless and wonder, “Doesn’t anybody see what’s happening? Why won’t somebody speak up? When will somebody help?”

Whether it’s entitlement and ego, or a gross lack of self-awareness, there are those who simply don’t care about, don’t like, or just flat out hate you, and your plight means nothing to them. Now, if they can just play victim, and get powerful, well-connected others on their side, they can be rid of you once and for all.

Somehow, they’ve made you their competition or enemy. They want what you have, and will destroy it, and you in the process of attaining it. 

It would make sense if you’ve ever harmed, or were, in any way, a threat to them, but their agenda to turn your name to mud, and turn the whole world against you (if they could), is baffling. If you would allow yourself to despise them, you’d be completely within your rights! They’ve been horrible! For years, they’ve spun an entire narrative about you to anyone who would listen, and think your fate is sealed by their words. Your refusal to defend yourself, or engage them, bugs them to no end, but when you do get fed up, get up, and retaliate, they’re positively shocked. They thought they’d defeated you.

Your attention to what they do, is strangely needed. When you ignore them, and seem to be thriving in spite of them, they have to adjust their strategy. They take from you, dare you to fight back, and relegate you to the lanes and boxes where they decide you belong. When they can’t get to you, they endear themselves to those close to you. Surely, you’ll pay attention, or concede then, right? They’ve got to figure out a way to get you on their playing field, where they aim to control or humiliate you. Surely you’ll bow then, right?

Wrong.

How you feel, your wellbeing, or how their words and actions will impact you, is not on their list of priorities. They do deliberate things that they’re hoping will cause you to react—and react badly—so that all of the things they’ve said about you will be justified. The hope is that you will be hurt or offended. It is their intention. 

When their schemes are exposed, fail, or backfire, however, their response reveals their motives, not only to you, but to other discerning individuals. Who the problem really is, doesn’t ever surprise those who’ve been paying attention, and documenting it all. You suddenly realize why the truth, and the teaching of accurate history is so problematic, and on many a chopping block. If you ever started studying, researching, and speaking out; if you ever told the whole story, they’d be toast.

Will they ever stop trying to bother, minimize, and erase you? Probably not. But it’s awfully interesting to watch as their credibility dwindles, their true colors show, there’s nothing left to defend, and they accumulate new enemies and critics from unlikely places. New eyes are watching, comparing and taking notes.

You almost feel sorry, as people break their necks to negatively affect you. Though you may have suffered a while, you know their mission is futile. Bless their insecure, opportunistic hearts, they don’t realize how dangerous their game is to themselves. Things are not going to end well. In their arrogance, they don’t know that they picked the wrong one to oppress and demonize. If they knew how sorry you felt for them, and that you actually pray for them, they’d just disintegrate. 

Your empathy makes you afraid for them, as you are for anyone who somehow forgets that God knows, and is watching them, too. 

Just like any caring, earthly parent would get a little tired of someone always picking on his or her child (and do something about it), God will handle it, and them. He has been known to so soundly convict those, who know full well that they had, or have evil intentions, that some will profusely apologize, change their ways, and even try to bless or help you. You’ll look up one day, and others will be gone, altogether. 

You have support. You have someone fighting for you. Don’t believe me? Just watch. 

One day, people will make a connection between the chaos, busyness, and dysfunction in their lives, (that they hope no one, especially you, ever sees), and how inconsiderately and abominably they have treated and regarded others. Hopefully, Grace won’t expire.