Wisdom in Dealing with People

Proverbs 31 teaches us about wisdom in dealing with resources and in dealing with people.  So today, I would like to discuss the practical implications of using wisdom when dealing with people. 

Mr. Fred Rogers used to tell his wife, “Everyone would be easy to love if we knew their story.” We don’t often get the chance to learn a person’s story when we have brief encounters with them. We are often left to deal with the aftermath. Remembering that makes it easier to deal with a rude clerk or the guy who just cut you off in traffic. 

On December 28, 2007 I found myself sitting in the airport in Ohio. My husband,our 11 month old daughter and I were waiting for our connecting flight into St. Louis. We were making an unexpected trip to my parent’s house in Moberly, Missouri for my dad’s funeral. Our plans had been that my parents were coming to our house the day after Christmas. They were going to meet their granddaughters for the first time. My dad entered the hospital with severe stomach pains early Christmas morning. He died three days later. I was watching the people bustle around, many on their way home from a Christmas trip and I thought to myself, No one knows that my dad just died. I tried to hold myself together but the loneliness and sorrow overwhelmed me at that point. For the exception of my husband sitting next to me not one person in the airport knew anything about my lose. 
 
Looking back at that time has made me realize that when I come into contact with strangers that I might not have any idea what they are dealing with. Greeting a clerk with a “How are you?”, saying thank you when someone lets you go through the door first or smiling as you pass down the aisle might not fix anything in their life but it might make them feel just a little less lonely. 

Dealing with people can be hard. Sometimes just remembering that everyone is facing things that we don't know about. Wisdom takes into consideration that while we may not like the way we are being treated by someone, we don't have to react but can always respond with kindness.