“Oh, my friend, it’s not what they take away from you that counts. It’s what you do with what you have left.” -Hubert Humphrey

If you are anything like me, well, pretty much if you are a human being, you have had someone hurt you at some time. The question is, how did you respond? There is a lot of hurting in the world, but the sad thing is that almost all of the pain in the world is caused by humans.

As I think about the cruelty of the world, I think about how perfectly right Jesus was when he said that the second greatest commandment was to love our neighbor as ourselves. If people treated others as they want to be treated, most problems would be solved. Of course, it is almost impossible to always treat others as you should without the grace of God.

When caused pain, most respond in anger. Whether because of unwisely chosen words, or because of being physically harmed, most people just want to return in like kind to the offender. A word of gossip spread for a cruel remark, or a punch in the nose for a slashed tire; it always seems as though the wrong doer deserves to be punished. But is isn’t up to us to punish anyone. Romans 12:19 says “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.“

Some people respond in anger, but others pity themselves. Feeling pity for yourself all the time is not a good habit to start. It is probably better than getting overly angry, but both reactions are wrong. Mr. Humphrey wisely tells us what to do. GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE. Don’t dwell on the negatives. Forgive whoever needs to be forgiven, and be a stronger person because of the experiences you have fought your way through.