Fellow humans,
I don’t have time for your drama. I can only imagine how many of us are guilty of this selfish attitude. I know I am.
I recently had a conversation with a friend about her faith. I was trying to find out how deeply she believes in God. I wasn’t trying to catch her in something she might say, I was genuinely curious. Believe it or not, most people do not
talk about their faith with me.
I was asking tough questions, and she was giving honest answers. We came across the topic of trust and love, and she said something I could certainly relate to.
“But loving someone doesn’t mean you have to put up with whatever it is about them that’s not right or that you don’t want to deal with in your life”
This can be interpreted in many ways. For the sake of this writing, let’s not focus on one single situation. Loving someone extends far beyond intimate and romantic relationships. Let’s focus on the general concept of loving other people.
For example, somebody causes stress or drama in our lives, and we instinctively turn to the fight-or-flight response. We might aggressively confront them or fight them. We might completely cut them off — ignore and avoid them. I believe these are forms of self-preservation, ultimately signs of weakness.
Bottom line is — loving someone does
mean we have to put up with their flaws. We can’t run and hide from the truth forever, and the truth is I do have time for your drama. Bring it on.
Matthew 5:38-39 (Words of Jesus)
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
We can interpret this parable in many ways. However, one thing is for sure — ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth’ is not the attitude Jesus wants us to have. He definitely opposes the concept of revenge.
I believe Jesus wants us to practice the art of surrender. Not surrender to society, Satan, or our enemies during times of war, but surrender to God. Keep it simple — start by putting up with your loved ones’ drama.
Jesus loved us. He proved His willingness to surrender by allowing the Romans to publicly humiliate, torture, and crucify Him. Remember He did nothing wrong. Jesus was innocent and perfect, yet His own people turned against Him. Jesus “put up” with an extreme amount of unjustified drama — more than we ever will.
Jesus was given multiple opportunities to defend Himself before He was crucified. The council members, chief priests, teachers of law, and Pontius Pilate repeatedly asked Jesus if His claims of being the Messiah were true. Jesus simply confirmed every true accusation. He didn’t go any further than that to defend Himself. He surrendered Himself, because He knew that was the only way to finish God’s plan.
God is not asking us to surrender ourselves the same way Jesus did. I believe God is simply asking us to tolerate one another. Next time we have the urge to retaliate or cut somebody off, let’s pause and remember the teachings of Jesus.
I’m in this struggle with you. Putting up with other people is not easy, but it’s simple. Don’t fight fire with fire. Don’t seek revenge or cut people off. Love them and put up with them. Remember nobody is perfect.
Until next time,
Salvatore Norge
P.S. — Thank you anonymous friend for sharing your faith with me. Everybody else — if you enjoyed this letter, feel free to share with your people.