Many are the ways people throw shame.

It's spoken loudly, it's spoken quietly. It's a wink, a finger pointing, a misleading statistic. It's a mocking laugh, a bunch of insulting words.

It's scorn they speak out of the side of their mouths. It's trying to pretend it's being nice to you when it's really setting you up to look bad.

It's shallow guilt-by-association reasoning.

It's kicking in the door, throwing your stuff around, and breaking things. It's a bunch of evil laws that are an affront to God, and God's gift of free-will. It's shooting people and pets dead, then denying any wrongdoing, or getting a medal for it.

It's standing aloof and saying "they got what they deserved, I'm glad I'm not like that sinner."

Below are some essays detailing examples of people who ignored — despised even — the shame others threw at them, and what they did about it. You will also find encouragement in them, meant to give you fortitude, food for thought, and strength of character.

Hint: ignore them, repay meanness with kindness, pray for them.

Amen.