By Steve Stricker
Columnist

Mt 7:2. “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” Saint Paul, “you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the very same things.”

Idiots!
With July 4th tomorrow, I should have perhaps written something about 1776 but that would have brought forth my PTSD from Vietnam….

Have you ever been misunderstood, i.e., judged wrongly? The above words mean nothing to a non-believer or believers as they are jerks and can’t even stand themselves! And as Jesus told the Apostles,

“Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.” Matthew 14. AMEN!

Shaking now boss!!!

Being misunderstood is usually the result of poor communication by those who are close to you; if from others who have no idea who you are, probably jealous or “judging” who they “think” you are with no clue and a lot of malice. No matter who you are, you will not be liked by everyone! Look at Jesus! Turn your back, walk away from those losers and shake dust!

First of all, you must know and accept who you are! Who we are now began early in life at home.

Growing up with three older sisters, only boy, if I said something at a meal, they smugly would say, “Shut up, stupid, no one is listening to you.” They hung out with each other and were their own family. Hero mom, “Gert” was always away nursing and dad was not well. Oh sure, mother and daddy would “sort of”
get on to them, but they just looked at me and smirked.

As a result, I was alone a lot and learned to take care of myself. But as a huge introvert, was uncomfortable around others because I never knew what to say and when I did, muttered because I figured no one wanted to hear it as my sisters repeatedly told me so just didn’t say anything.

Like a duck on still water, body seems motionless but under the water feet are in constant motion like my brain and am very capable of and have done great things – just not talking, and so some idiots with 2×4’s in their eyes, meeting me for the first time judged me immediately as stupid and each time, I proved them so wrong.

Gert, mom, was beautiful and inheriting some of her genes, was not bad looking…which just added to me being misunderstood. Daddy died weeks before my freshman year in college, which caused me to not make friends easily in college for fear of being hurt again, and as a huge introvert was withdrawn and many judged me as being “cocky” or “aloof.”

And being handsome (Gert’s words), many judged me as not being able to do anything. After almost flunking out, finally made my grades at the end of my sophomore year, reluctantly went through fraternity rush, pledged Pike and opted to play on the Pike’s Basketball Team – but was told, this is out of your league, to which I replied in my Junior year in high school, Captain of small Catholic School team, we did not win a single game, but I averaged 13 points a game before the 3-point shot and was unanimously selected to the All District Team; “Oh!” Started every game after that….and so many more similar life stories….

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father (being done to me as we speak), a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household.” Matthew 34-36

So, trust God, dismiss the Godless nobody idiots judging you as all is as it should be – and build a shed with the wood in their eyes…HA!

Steve is an Oxford resident and received his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology (Counseling) from Ole Miss.