A thief is close to the top of the list of things in this life that really get to me. I opened up Instagram this morning to see a post where some of my friends had their trailer stolen from the Ouachita National Forest. They are full-time Overlanders and had led an event helping to clean up the forest, just to come back, rewarded by a thief when they returned. It is sad that some people do not feel as if they have to work hard for what they have. They feel as if they have the right to take whatever they want, even if it does not belong to them.

For those raised to know the difference between right and wrong, we abhor thieves. We believe that thievery is, in its core, the definition and symbol of wrong. It is easy to determine in this life what is right and wrong. Even if you are not a believer in the Bible, there are laws that determine what is right and wrong. Even if you do not believe in the age old Golden Rule, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” it is easy for everyone to see and understand the difference between right and wrong. The problem is whether you care or not.

We see every day people treating others with disrespect. We see every day people treating others with contempt and hatred. We see posts every day of where upstanding citizens are having their property they have worked hard to obtain, ripped from them by thieves. There is complete and utter disregard for others going on daily in this world. It is discomforting and disheartening to see. It is one of the reasons that many have stopped watching the news. It is one of the reasons many have purchased trackers, locators, doorbell cameras, alarms and video surveillance equipment. “You cannot trust anyone these days” is a common saying I hear when things such as this happen around me. Is this true? Partly I believe, but not mostly.

You see, I believe that most of the people in this world are good people. The majority of people in this world are out to do well for others, to do the right thing, obey the law, work hard, provide for their family, and live a good life. The problem is that these people do not make the headlines. We do not celebrate these people enough. We see very little of what these people do for others each and every day. I believe this part of society makes up the vast majority. It is just that a few ruins it for the rest of us. They are the proverbial turd in the punch bowl. They are the sour grapes among the rest of the sweet. They are the bad apple on a great tree.

Yet in seeing all that I see and witness all that is in my personal world each day, these thieves cannot rob this from me — my joy and love for the people and places in this world. Do you hear that thieves? My joy is not equal to what I have in this life. Yes, I work hard for that and I cherish and take care of all that I have, but it does not create joy in my life. It creates happiness, but not love. My love is for people, good people, family and friends who know and practice right and abhor wrong. Although I look upon you in disgust for who you are and the way you choose to live your life, you are not my focus. I am focused on what is right and true. I love this world, the people, the places and the memories that I make each day. You cannot steal that from me. You can hurt me. You can take from me, but the fruit that I choose to bear each day (love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, kindness, patience, goodness) are there and will always be there with or without you.

Do not let the joy robbers affect your life. Do not let them take the goodness and the want to fight the good fight away from you. Do not let them damage your heart. Overcome them and kill them with kindness. They will get what is coming to them. They will be judged for their actions. They will one day stand before the righteous judge and be accountable for what they have done, so also will we. How we react to what happens to us, is a true testament to these things. Whether we have stayed fast and held the line, not stooping to their level, will be asked of us.

The statement or declaration says, “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” It does NOT say, “Do unto others, because of what they have done to you.” There is a big difference in those declarations, and one is so much harder than the other.