How
do you seriously not let someone hurt your feelings? How do you
seriously just walk away and not feel injured by what they have said?
This is the part about yesterday that has me baffled. What do I do with
my urge to choke the living daylights out of someone who hurts my
feelings?"
This question came up from a friend of mine who was at a grocery store yesterday. While making polite conversation with the cashier (and what cashier doesn't NEED that??) the customer behind her became rude and surly and literally hurt this gal's feelings. She is so distraught over it and I thought about it in light of the much bigger news headlines of the day: a mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. Poor Colorado had its share of wildfires and after copious rains put them out, now has this to deal with too.
What would cause a man to walk into a movie theatre and just start shooting at random? Over 38 people injured and 12 killed. On a smaller scale, what baggage did the customer have that he felt the need to be rude? How can we comprehend and deal with all that life hands out to us?
I have to wonder that, at some point, the need for empathy wasn't felt in the customer's case. To walk in someone's shoes, in this case, the cashier's- and to realize that a friendly face/voice maybe was all she needed to perk her up. I was a cashier for awhile and believe me, the constant smile and cheery attitude can be a real struggle when maybe something at home is eating you up inside. Family. Bills. Health. Something else. Who doesn't appreciate a happy face? Yet this man felt he had to rob a customer and cashier of her good day by his attitude.
In the caseof the murderer, it is too big to comprehend. In this case, we pray for peace. Peace in the hearts of those who are injured, in the hearts of those who have lost friends and family members. A child its parent. A school its teacher. A father his daughter/son...it goes on. To want an eye for an eye seems reasonable, but what does more violence solve? Same with the grocery store harasser. My friend could have turned on him with a "hey, can't you see I'm TALKING here?" Plus a few choice cuss words. Her heart, though is a heart full of love and wouldn't allow her that.
Jesus also has a heart full of love. As He walked His path towards certain death, as the crowds jeered at Him and spit at Him, His heart was heavy. At any time he could have called up to the heavens and God and all His angels could have smited those people in one fell swoop! Yet he simply uttered this: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
This should be our mantra also.
"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
Let there be peace on earth...and let it begin with me....and may it also be with you! Amen
from a friend of the gal in question, her response was posted to her Facebook page, but I thought it relevant to also post here:
ReplyDelete"I feel like that sometimes, I am sorry but I yelled out the window at a teenager that was texting in traffic. Does she not know it is illegal to text and drive in MN? She turned and everyone in my van said she gave me the finger,I didn't even look at her to give her the satisfaction of my reaction. People in this world are so darn disrespectful to say the least. I am sorry your still feeling so upset about what happened at the store."
Rev, sometimes the little issues BECOME big issues. An incident in a grocery store can blow up into a shooting at a theatre! PLEASE...keep reminding us of God's love for us!!! Please keep standing up for the "little people" who sometimes get lost in the crowd! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteAhh..the "little people." How many times have I watched as people cut me out of their lives due to my drinking? "Oh can't have old Andy here, he might embarrass us!" and on it went. You'd think I'd quit, but no, I was a real pain in the ass. My wife even nagged me until she left. When I begged her to come back she did so more for our kids than for me. Walk in those shoes, it was said here. Empathy. All good habits to follow. I have since wised up...took me long enough! But for those who still have me in their life, I thank them. I guess we all need to develop patience, tolerance and forgiveness. That alone will go a long way towards peace, don't you think so?
DeleteAhh, the little people. Munchkins? No, those folks who have tried hard all their lives to be close to "The Norm", but yet somehow failed through no fault of their own, yet it is still thought of their fault. Heavy Sigh. The so called "normal" people, who do their prescription drugs, who only drink fine wines, who only beat their wives when they need to, they are OK, it is us little people, Andy, who take the faults. "Walk a mile in my shoes, and see how you feel..."
DeleteEnough said.
I dunno...its going to take along time to forgive what happened in Colorado.
ReplyDeleteI'd hardly compare a rude grocery store customer with a psycho gunman, but I see your point. it seems we can't go anywhere anymore without a shit ton of security. Now it'll be that way at theaters, too. TSA me, please! NOT!
ReplyDeletethe few are stealing the liberties of the rest of us. I'd suggest a mutiny, but I am thinking it may not be received well right now...
ReplyDelete