Tuesday, October 6, 2009

To Each His Own

I realized awhile back that I do not treat everyone the same. I have always felt like I was an open-minded person with very few prejudices. I think that all people are made in the image of God and have great value as his children. I have always believed and taught these things. I am proud to be a citizen of a country that has as a cornerstone of its heritage that all men are created equal.

And then it hit me that I have favorites. There are some people that I like better than others. In fact, there are some people that I do not like at all. I do not like admitting that, but there is nothing that I can do about it. My friend describes such people as EGR's- Extra Grace Required. These people are different from my favorites not because they are inherently different, but because of the way they respond to me and the way I operate.

  • I play favorites with those people for whom I am a favorite. That is to say, when I give attention to someone, if they repay that attention, I remember that.
  • I have an agenda for my life. There are things that I want to accomplish for myself, my family and the people around me. I respect people- and invest in people- who help me to accomplish these goals.
  • There are some people who have great potential, and are not afraid to meet that potential. They take chances and work to do God's work. People with great potential will get more of my attention.
  • Some people have a lot of work to do. Their lives are confusing, messy, hard and somewhat difficult for me to believe. These people get more of my attention.
  • In am willing to invest my time and energy in those people who are willing to spend their time and energy with me.
  • I give more time and attention to people who are especially vulnerable. That is, they are hurt, rejected or needy in some way. They have needs that I can work toward meeting.
  • I treat people differently who want to be treated differently.
So, I will not feel bad about the time I spend with some people. They are the people who want to spend time with me. I will continue to love those who love and long to be loved. I will lead those who want to be led. I will care for those who wish to be cared for and care for me in turn. I will invest in those in whom we will see the most return.

2 comments:

chadyod08 said...

You know, I find this to be very true in my own life as well. I spend time with people who show interest in spending time w/ me. So no worries :)

Tande said...

But don't forget that there are people who don't know how to show their need for love, assurance, and acceptance. People that seem strong and have it all together often are hiding behind their fears and uncertainties. These people need just as much love and attention but it may be harder to spot.