This is one of those topics that either makes you wiggle in your skin, or overlook it. Rudeness is not one of those warm fuzzy topics. People seem to only want to talk about the warm fuzzies. Well, I think it's very important to talk about rude things and the topic of rudeness because we live in a rude world!!!! It's reality (but reality can change) ......So how did those exclamation marks make you feel? I think my biggest question I have about the issue of rudeness is...WHY? Why be rude? Why must people be rude? Really, is it necessary in getting one's point across? If you think about it, that is why people are rude - to make a point. Whether the point is, "You're in my way", or "Why can't you see it from my perspective?", or "I'm higher than you", there is always a rude gesture, word, or nonverbal facial expression being sent out to all who live in the universe. One day, I was in the drive-through line placing my food order. I said my please and thank you as I always do. I get to the window, and the cashier told me he only charged me for a small drink as opposed to the medium-sized one that I ordered. He said it was strictly because I was nice to him. I thought that was pretty special. He went on to say that it was a nice thing to hear coming after the man in front of me who said, "You need to listen better".....Okay....really, dude...you had to say that to the man who probably works for peanuts, but may be so grateful he even has a job?
What would possess anybody to say something like that? What do people really get out of it? It's undignified. It's uncalled for, and quite frankly, it just turns others off to the "point" one is trying to make. When did we become so rude? Sometimes we have bad days, or we might get short in our speech on accident (I'm guilty of that, but I try to make it right when I realize I've done it). And again, I ask, WHY? Manners have no age. They are not "old-fashioned". They are needed. They are necessary. They matter. Being rude to others does not make one look tougher. In fact, being rude to others makes me look upon the rude person with pity. It makes the advocate in me rise up even more for the person who is the victim of the one who is being rude. Just be nice. If you're a man, hold the door open for a lady. If you're the lady, give a thank you. Sometimes, I actually hold the door open for a man. Why not? We could all stand to be chivalrous...men, women, children, dogs, and cats. Animals, too, you ask? Yep...I'll tell you some cats around my neighborhood could stand to use some manners and stop peeing in my planter...but I digress...
Rudeness comes from insecurity. It does not come from a place of inner strength and confidence. It is something that needs to be weeded from our bad daily habits and buried. Our perspective must change. Jesus gave the Golden Rule..."Love your neighbor as yourself" - love yourself, it's okay to do that...Stop playing video games in church and listen to the preacher man (or woman) because others are there to hear the spoken Word of God...Chew your gum quietly in the movie theater...Relax the brow on your face...Cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough...Let a little kid fill his/her cup up with a drink before you do - trust me, there is plenty in the fountain, you won't miss any, and if you do, then they'll make some more...Just smile at people and say hello - everyone should be treated with dignity, even if they might give you the wrong color of pen to write with than you would like...It's actually a very easy thing to do - kindness. Life is too short to be rude. It's not worth it, and in the end, the only point that is made is the point people make when they say, "What is wrong that person?"...
When I have had to confront students who were bullying other students, I have always said to them, "You're not better than anyone else...and nobody is better than you." I have made arguing kids face each other, tell each other sorry (and specify for what), shake hands, and then go and treat people the right way. They stopped messing with each other. That's the key...kindness...because we're all sharing the same earth...do the right thing. That is what's worth it.
NEXT WEEK: Deprivation....(the sound of it is not as bad as you think...)
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