What matters?

People matter. How we treat people matters. How we treat all people matters. How we respect and treat those with whom we are close, say we love, those whom we encounter at arms length, and those we will not encounter at all, matters. 

It matters much.

How we treat others mirrors what we think (or don’t think) of ourselves.  

How we treat those with whom we disagree matters as least as much as how we treat those whom we claim to love. 

How we treat people, near, far, loved, known, unknown, different, current family, former family, those on the other side of the political aisle, is a litmus test on our spirituality. 

It’s a test of our holiness –wellbeing – if we claim to represent a faith or not. 

Human encounters are holiness-checks, biopsies of our integrity, no matter who we are or what positions we hold – megachurch pastor or atheist, billionaire or penniless.  

How we treat all others says nothing whatsoever about others. How we treat others is a window – a large open window – revealing volumes about us, no matter how hard we may try to keep it closed, barred, blackout curtains taped shut. 

How we treat people matters for many reasons, one being it mirrors the love and respect we have for ourselves. 

We love others as we love ourselves. 

The same is true for hate, rejection, and contempt.