Are you a magnet or are you a repellant?

A tough businessman went to the doctor because he was feeling very ill. The doc examined him then backed away, saying, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but you have an advanced case of highly infectious rabies. You must have had it for some time. It will almost certainly be fatal.”

“Could you give me a pen and paper?” the businessman requested.

“Do you want to write your last will?” asked the doctor.

“No, I want to make a list of all the people I want to bite.”

There are many people out there who are so egoistic, obnoxious and toxic you would love to bite them had you been the businessman with the rabies.

Come to think of it, what is it really about these people that turn you and me off?

Maybe it’s because they’re social climbers. They pretend to be somebody they’re not.

Maybe it’s because they’re opportunists. They’re selfish, self-absorbed individuals who would take every opportunity to one-up another.

Maybe it’s because they’re braggarts. They want to be the life of the party all the time. They are the know-it-alls who would readily cut off anyone so they can dominate the conversation with their unsolicited opinions and thoughts.

There may be a thousand reasons, but here’s a fact of life: we can be one of those people who rub others the wrong way. We can either be people repellants or people magnets. And being either does not depend on our DNA, nor our genealogy, nor our educational background or the lack of it. It all depends on our character. We take responsibility for being either a people repellant or a people magnet.

A man went to see an old friend of his who was an executive in a large corporation. With no holds barred, the man said, “I’m at my wits end. I haven’t got money to feed my kids. My wife needs an operation, and I haven’t a penny for it. Our house is going into foreclosure. The...”

His friend, the executive, interrupted, “Stop! I can’t take this anymore.” He pushed the intercom button and told his secretary, “Jane, throw this man out. He’s breaking my heart.”

Repellant people are narcissists who are too preoccupied with themselves. They couldn’t care less about what’s happening to others. Every single decision, every single action has to benefit them.

I see people like these in business. I see people like these in educational institutions. And I certainly have seen people like these in religious circles.

Jesus, for instance, revealed the hearts of the Pharisees. He said that, outside, the Pharisees all look so pious and holy. Yet inside, they are like whitewashed tombs with dead man’s bones. True enough, behind their holiness, the Pharisees were actually plotting to kill Jesus, and they succeeded.

When you confront repellant people, they will harm you. When you deal with repellant people, they will hurt you. Let them be. Just to pray for them. And make sure that you learn from them and become a magnet person instead.

Be caring. Be honest. Be truthful.

Don’t play the revenge game. Revenge is God’s business, not yours.

Help those who are in need.

Don’t lose your capacity to love. Maintain a heart of tenderness and sensitivity and look at life as this beautiful gift of God, because it is.

Life is not what you have. Life is not what you do. Life is what you attract because of the kind of person you have become.

So go out there, and start being a magnet.

(Get daily inspirational quotes and thoughts from Francis! Send “Inspire” to 288 for Smart or Sun subscribers and 2889 for Globe. Visit facebook.com/franciskong2 for more details.)