He who hates irritating people hates gentleness.  He who runs away from distressing people runs away from Christ.

This will be an easy reflection, because I am sure none of you has ever been irritated or distressed by anyone else. Phheeeeww. That makes this much easier. Not hating irritating people is difficult, for many an impossible challenge. Of course, the Greeks will always and everywhen make this more complicated. See, the Greek word εκνευριστικό, translates VERY loosely with “irritating.” More accurately, this word means “impossible to ignore”, “object of obsession,” or “life-threatening.”

What Dorotheos of Gaza was getting at is that interpersonal interaction and engagement isn’t easy or simple, but that it is the key to becoming Christlike. We can become the body of Christ, but only together. No one person can make it on their own. We are not only stronger together; we don’t exist apart from one another.

In one of my early appointments, I encountered a man who had serious and severe mental challenges. He latched onto me. He called me multiple times a day, occasionally late at night. He showed up unannounced at church and parsonage. I felt very sorry for him, so I over-functionally allowed him too much access to my life. We sat for hours working through his various issues. Originally annoyed and perturbed, I suddenly found I was listening more deeply to this man, relating to this man, suffering for this man, and pulling for this man. I came back to myself and my God when I finally embraced this man and his plight. I cannot to this day claim that I helped or healed this man, but I was there, and that’s the point. Had I given into my irritation I would have found ways to avoid him, leaving him alone, afraid, and liable to harm himself.

We live in a broken world with a whole lot of broken people, many of them simply seeking a kind and sympathetic ear to give them a few minutes. Talk to people. Listen to people. Reach out, even if it gets refused. Try. Don’t run away from annoying people – run toward them. Be patient. Be Kind. Think the best of others, rather than the worst.

Who annoys you? Why? Can you see beyond the annoyance to a place of peace? What do you do that is annoying? What might you do to take you closer to people who annoy you than to get farther away?