3 Reason You May Be Hard to be Around

Are there people you just don't want to be around? Why? I have a theory why you don't want to be around certain people. But, I want to turn the tables and ask why people would not like to be around me. Sometimes it is good to look at our situations and examine ourself.

Are you hard to be around because you remind people of their failures?

For example, I know a lady who starts a diet every Monday. Sometimes I say, “Didn’t you start that diet last Monday?” Then she has to explain herself and defend her lack of resolve and self-discipline. Sometimes I don’t say anything, but she still feels the need to make excuses when she has the wrong food in front of me. I think she is distant because it is just too hard to be around me. She feels like she had to explain her failures to me and make excuses. Right or wrong; my fault or her imagination: I am too hard to be around.

Are you hard to be around because you are not comfortable with other’s choices?

When others live a certain way of life that is different from you, is it obvious to them you disapprove by your body language and words? Some people may not want to be around you because you make them feel wrong all the time. I grew up with a girl who always said, “You’re missing out.” It made me feel like my choices were wrong and her choices were better. They weren’t, just different. Don’t be hard to be around by making others feel bad about their choices just by the look on your face. Silence can be the biggest form of disapproval ever when you have a scowl. I think it is ok to say, "I really don't agree with that, but I like you as a person." (I've done that exact thing to a homosexual couple and because of my honesty, we are still friends.)

Are you hard to be around because you are so passionate about something you feel you have to share it all the time? I know a lady who was an independent consultant with a popular kitchen company. She admitted people avoided her. They knew she was going to try to persuade them to do a kitchen show or buy something. She apparently knows she was being annoying to others. Don’t be hard to be around because you are promoting something—even promoting Jesus to the point of being annoying.     

My Theory...

We are human. We are selfish. We all want our own way. We are uncomfortable around people different than us. We don’t like change. When we are around people who are in obvious sin, we don’t know how to handle it. We avoid issues. We shrink back. All of these inner thoughts can manifest themselves as 'I don't like you' in our words and posture that we don't even know we are doing.

A while back, a FB post shared the launch of Atheist TV. The comments from Christians were horrid. My comment was this, “Christians, you are blowing it! You have a chance to show love like Jesus in the midst of many who do not believe and you choose to show hate. True love does not make these comments. I would love to have the chance to sit down at a meal with this Atheist just to show him the love of Christ for all people, even those who reject Him.” (I'd sit down and have a meal with Bruce Jenner, too.) 

True love does not avoid sinners at all cost. Love is not all about finding comfort. Love is bringing a glimpse of Christ. Could you do that? I work on trying NOT to be hard to be around because of my judgmental attitude. I know I have one and I have to train myself to act the way the Word says, not the way I feel inside. 

Can you eat a meal with the vilest offenders to show Christ’s love to those who are missing out? How are you hard to be around and how can you change that?