When the Crowd Turns On You: Responding With Grace Instead of Walls

What do you do when people come for your character, your peace, and your plans?

In this deeply personal episode of Elevate, Jen Smith shares a raw story of neighborhood opposition that quickly spiraled into cruelty. But instead of building a wall—literally and emotionally—she chose something better: grace. This episode is a reminder that hurt people hurt people, but healed people can break the cycle. 

You’ll learn: • Why your peace may trigger others’ pain • How to respond to cruelty with compassion • What Jesus teaches us about not matching negative energy • Why sometimes the hardest people to love are the ones who need it most

When the crowd throws stones, we don’t need to throw them back—we can build something stronger.

Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Raw Emotions 00:37 Cottage Renovation and Community Efforts 01:09 Town Meeting and Unexpected Reactions 01:55 Deeper Reflections on Hurt and Anger 04:06 Choosing a Response: Wall or Bridge? 07:01 Building Bridges with Kindness 08:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts