Excuse You!?!
(10/8/07)

Often times at work, in an environment that is generally friendly and professional, I hear a response from someone that makes me scratch my head. I walk away wondering if maybe I need to get my ears checked, or if there are actually people in such a professional setting that are so rude. I believe that often it is the latter, and the term I’m referring to is “excuse you.” Indoor settings, unfortunately, don’t have the defined routes as the road, yet common courtesies are expected, and sometimes when two people nearly bump, or someone is accidentally blocking another, or someone hinders another in some way, it really is no particular person’s fault, so the courteous, respectful action for EACH person should be “excuse me” or “pardon me.” Yet, often you will have some in such self-absorbed, rude arrogance to say “excuse you,” even when you have done nothing wrong. Such sorry, pitiful behavior is something that we have to learn to ignore, forgive, and move on from all many situations in life.

What more should you expect, though, from people of a world that relishes in rudeness and arrogance. Nevertheless, those of us called of the kingdom are called to be over-comers of the world, just as by the example of the one that saved us. The one trait that ensures such is humility, and unfortunately, many of us who call ourselves faithful, blatantly miss it.

I’ve seen people who get in the front of the church “praising” louder than everyone in the building then go to the clothing store and act extremely rude to the cashier, while trying to pretend to themselves they are justified and “bigger than that.” Yet, how honorable is it to belittle another over a simple misunderstanding in fake dignity. It is no more than being a hypocritical wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I’ve seen those who have studied the faith for many years become so arrogant from their knowledge, to the point of feeling as though anything outside of their interpretation is without-a-doubt wrong, to the point that they miss some of the most simple, basic truths of the faith. These Pharisaical types of people would debate with the Messiah Himself over His own teaching. Then they rudely and sarcastically disrespect the thoughts of any person that disagrees with them, while applauding the scarce that try to agree with them as though their opinion of it really matters in the grand scheme of things.

I’ve also seen those who profess to be professional, supposedly eagles (leaders) yet whose behavior carries the rude, small-minded stench of the chicken coop. Eagles have no business pecking around in, and acting like, the mess of the “want-nothing-better-than-handouts” chickens. As the old saying goes, “little people discuss people, average people discuss events, and leaders discuss ideas.”

Remember, our leader overcame the world, and we too, are called to do the same. But as long as arrogance and pride stand in the way, our advancement shall be blocked. The Father wants to take us to a place that only the humble can enter, so let us be humble, as He too was humble, that we may grow and move forward in faith, live, and in the spirit of truth.

Peace be unto you,

Kelvin