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The lens of Grace will give you insight into why they treat/ed you that way. It’s not you …it’s what’s in you that threatens what they’re wrestling with. Be responsible with your response …and love them anyways.
If I’m honest, it’s exhausting at times disarming people because of how they view me: often mistaking my confidence for arrogance, assertiveness as a woman with aggression, and the color of my skin as a threat. For this, if you only knew the challenges I’ve faced as a Christian woman (with dark brown skin), names called, disportionate treatment, rejection, short answer, lack of opportunities, rolled eyes, etc. I’m not sharing this for sympathy or to suggest no one else deals with this but I am suggesting that LOVE covers and is a much lighter load to bear. Also, my little brush-ups don’t even compare to what Jesus dealt with …and He STILL chose to take on the sin of the ENTIRE world! ‘Still loving people today who curse Him, ignore, and minimize His suffering on the cross. So yeah.
You see, I am charged to never allow someone’s treatment towards me to break my character. I’ll admit, it’s hard at times because I really don’t bother people !! I have to meditate on the right response because, of course, my natural response is to repay with the same portion that’s given to me. Instead, if I profess to know Love (God) then I’m responsible for reflecting Him. This doesn’t mean I allow people to walk over me, nor am I suggesting not to address things! I am, however, asserting that I always want to give people an opportunity to be restored whenever they decide to step outside of their rut. That is, I always leave room for their potential “I’m sorry” or change of attitude. Most times, people lead with their stress, insecurities, and defense mechanisms and others get the brunt of it. But this is why Grace allows us to discern what’s going on and respond accordingly.
Ultimately, what anyone thinks about me isn’t my business anyways. Like a mirror, I reflect the image of Jesus …not the image of another human being.
I am the person who will speak to you even though I know you don’t want to say “hi”. I see you avoiding eye contact I will genuinely smile even though I know you just finished talking about me. And I’ll serve you even though you have a nasty attitude. Why? Because I’m not responsible for what you think of or how you treat me. I’m responsible for how I represent Jesus.
And God is still good!
“From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.” Luke 12:48