Monday, July 12, 2010

Be Kind For Everyone You Meet is Fighting a Great Battle

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."
-Plato

What comes to your mind when you read that quote?

Besides this picture, obviously

I'll go first.

I think it's so easy to get wrapped up in our needs, wants, desires, etc that we start to look at other people as expendable resources.

We see ourselves as the star in some reality show, where everyone we come into contact with is some sort of supporting character, who only exists to further along our wishes and our agenda. When we run into conflict with someone we question their motives, their character and their relationship with us.

When really, they could just be having an off day.

Or they're struggling with a problem much larger than ours. They could be too busy thinking about their family falling apart, potentially losing their job, death or illness of someone they love, struggling raising their kids, feeling distant from God, feeling lost, alone and without direction, feeling burnt and betrayed by those who should be loving and caring for them.

The battles people fight every day of their lives are incredibly intense.

And how dare I question someone's motives, intent, desires and actions without knowing the battle they are facing? Or even more, without being willing to fight alongside them?

Your turn. What comes to mind for you?

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."
-Plato