Hurting People Hurt Others

image from washingtonmonthly.com

When I was in college I remember hearing one sentence during a sermon, that totally changed the way I viewed people.  That sentence was, "hurting people, hurt others".  Those four little worlds completely blew my mind.  From that moment on I chose to make a conscious decision to keep those four words at the forefront of every interaction I had with those around me.

Here's the point behind those words.  Sometimes when we are hurt by someone, we just think they're being mean.  We think they have some vendetta against us or that that is just part of their personality.  The truth behind it though is that when someone bullies someone else, or says a mean word, the person saying it is usually the one that is truly hurting.

image from bullyingproject.com

Because as humans that's what we do.  When we're hurting, a part of us wants those around us to feel the same pain we're in.  Sometimes it's intentionally, and sometimes it just comes out before we can stop it because we're hurting so bad.

So the next time someone hurts your feelings, or is being a jerk, or says something really rude, stop and think about them from a different perspective.  Stop and take a different look.  There's probably a lot of hurt behind their words.

Which is why the words "treat others as you would want to be treated", ring so true.  We need not to jump to conclusions when we see the bully or the jerk.  We need instead to take the time to figure out where their pain is coming from.  Because if we can help them through their pain, we can take away that need they may feel to make others hurt as bad as they do.

Because the phrase is true.  Hurting people really are the ones who hurt others.

image from bullyingpreventionnow.com