By RTF Staff Writer Stephany Mendia

In ten years there are two things I will remember about high school: The lives I touched, and the lives I wished hadn’t touched mine.

It sounds cynical I know, but I hope you all will give me grace when I say that I try my hardest to see the best in people – I love them yet can’t seem to like them.

There is always that one person at school or work or a party that makes my heart sink. They don’t know how to show respect, they don’t know how to show love, and they certainly don’t know how to let things go!

I know you know how it feels. You spend the whole time watching this type of person mope around and then you leave the party feeling angry or guilty… your fun was ruined.

Unfortunately this is how I ended up spending my New Year celebration – surrounded by friends and family I love spending time with… except that one person. When the ball finally dropped I realized I hadn’t had fun at all.

It’s funny how moms always have the answers to things like this. Getting home after church on New Years’ Day I sat down to explain the situation to my dear momma, she looked at me and without hesitation spoke and changed my entire attitude:

“Stephany, the Bible says we don’t battle against flesh and blood but against evil itself. This girl may bother you, she may never apologize, and she may not even know that her behavior was awful, but Jesus paid the same price for her as He did for you.

“I don’t think you have to like her, you don’t have to invite her out with your friends, you don’t have to speak with her unless she speaks with you. But you do have to love her.

“If you were nailed to a cross for all of humanity you probably wouldn’t be a fan of those who spit on your wounds and suggested your murder. Jesus probably didn’t like those in the crowd who crucified Him. But he still loved them enough to be crucified.

“Love her so much that it hurts, because that’s what He literally did, Steph. You may never like her but you might show her how to love and transform her world.”

How can I argue with that? Well, at the moment I was heated and I wanted to argue with it. I wasn’t looking for the WWJD answer, I was looking for my mom to agree with me.

But here I am two long weeks later and I can’t help but be amazed at her words.

In ten years you will look back at your high school years and you are going to remember the times when people thanked you for changing their lives by being lanterns for God’s light, (because I fully believe that’s what you all are) but you will also remember the people who drove you crazy. Those who made you so mad that you felt like you had to get saved all over again (we all have at least one of those).

Be thankful for them though. Love them till it hurts, pray for them when you want to curse them.

It seems cliche, I know, but think about it: Those very clichés about grace put our Savior on the cross, and brought you to this moment when you’re reading this article on this blessing of a website.

If you love ‘til it hurts and give grace when it’s the last thing on your to do list, you can change the world of someone who acts rude, doesn’t know how to love, and surely doesn’t know how to let things go.

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Stephany (Steph) Mendia accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at age ten and has been living for Him ever since! She’s a youth worker in her church’s children’s ministry, loves kids, and has the most amazing friends and family. She attends a public high school, which has its challenges, but she loves it. She’s constantly laughing, smiling, writing, singing, and talking. You can catch up with her at her blog, Hey Might As Well.