We all have our share of crazy people around us. I don’t mean clinically crazy. I mean the people who have crazy opinions that cause us to shake our heads in bewilderment. Or they make decisions based on easily disproved facts. Or they anticipate a series of events with no grounding in reality. Or they willingly embrace lies because it fits their narrative.
These people can drive us crazy, can’t they? Having conversations with them raises our blood pressure. We watch their mistakes – and then they double down on why it’s not a mistake – and we can easily get angry at their stubbornness, or cry at their incompetence, or dismiss them for their foolishness.
So yes, we all have our share of crazy people around us. And if you are like me, you’ve had them around your entire life.
If we’re not careful we can stop loving them. Let that sink in for a moment, and then read on.
Recently I’ve been dividing these crazy folks into two camps. The first are those who are crazy and still have love for others. The second are those who are crazy and are driven by anger or selfishness or delusion or something I don’t quite understand.
The crazy people who are filled with love have had a big impact on my life. Mostly positive, believe it or not. Over the years they have taught me bad theology, or predicted ridiculous end times scenarios, or espoused questionable science, or promoted bad political policies. The list goes on.
But they never lost love. Love for neighbor, love for God. This love shaped me. I admired their love as I rolled my eyes at their craziness. I banned many of their ideas from my life, but never the people themselves. I couldn’t because of their love.
Then there are the crazies who do not have love. They demonize others. They hate. They ridicule. They are unapologetic.
Rarely do I agree even slightly with these crazies. Sometimes I understand the frustrations and fears that motivate them. But they never have my respect. Their hearts toward others are so cold, so mean, that they are unhealthy for me to be around.
They are very difficult to love. But I keep trying. Mostly I lose at this attempt. But in small doses I can find a spark of love for them. And you know what? They need it.
So do I.
It’s easier with the crazies who still have love. The people with flawed medical opinions, but still have love. The family member who embraces a hopeless political system, but still has love. The friend with baseless conspiracy theories, but still has love.
They are still crazies. Completely delusional. Borderline stupid in their own way.
But love has not left them. You can see it in their smiles, their kind words, their generosity, their peacefulness. They have strong – and awesomely bad – opinions.
But they love.
What a difference it makes.
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