"I'm Just Trying to Help"

I've found myself in a strange place lately. I do not have the words to properly express this strange place so I will share a 'story' with you. Let's pretend I have a house with a bad shutter.

Let's pretend a friend calls me and says "Hey there. I just noticed that your shutter was loose and wanted to make sure you were aware of that. I didn't want it to get worse and you not know it."

I say "Thank you friend. I did notice that shutter. I've actually attempted to repair that very shutter a few times before but that silly shutter continues to come loose when certain types of storms blow through our neighborhood. Thank you for thinking of me and lending a helping hand."

The next day the friend calls back "Hey, I know you are aware of your bad shutter but... you really need to get your shutter fixed. This is not something you can wait on - you need to move on this right now because it is more serious than you can see."

Me "Thank you for your concern for me - but I have called the repair man and he says he will be here soon to properly repair this. Thank you again for taking the time to let me know about my shutter but it really isn't as bad as it must appear to you."

Friend calls the next day "I've now reported you to the home owners association, since you are unwilling to make this issue right. You have obviously been neglecting matters at your home and somebody needed to say this to you - it has become an offense to all who see it."

Me "No comment." (Because now I see my words are not being heard so - there is nothing to say anymore.)

Friend sends a demolition company to my house with dynamite to blow up this neglected home because it is obvious to 'them' that this 'shutter' problem is way bigger than anyone thought. A repair man won't do - a demolition team is necessary because the house is obviously about to tip over from all that damage the simple shutter brought to this home.

It all begin with a kind effort to help but it has now become a source of destruction. Some lend an innocent helping hand that becomes an all out effort to destroy you to your very core. Hard lesson to learn but I'm trying to find good in all of this - right now I can't see any.

The biggest lesson learned was that this friend never really knew me and therefore didn't know how minor the issue they saw was. To them there was more to the story but all the 'more' was via their imagination. The story was simple but now it has become destructive. It has been a sad few weeks but I'm renewing my strength right now, or should I say that HE is renewing my strength right now. When someone misunderstands you it hurts, but when they insist on misunderstanding you and get mad that you won't say they are right.... that is a fight not worth fighting. It's not worth fighting because the only way you 'win' is by agreeing with the lie that they believe is true. That's never worth doing.