My Sense of Justice

Today at the post office, my sense of justice was offended. And I didn't know how to respond.

Here's what happened. Ruthie and I were in the post office, next in line, with no one behind me and several people milling around the lobby area. A young couple comes in and the guy walks up to the front, looking in all the teller windows. He is clearly trying to get someone's attention but there is only one teller and she's with a customer.

Like any person would do, I watch the guy, wondering what he's doing, what he's looking for, etc. After a few seconds of my watching him, the girl who came in with him says, without looking up but very plainly out loud for everyone to hear, "Ain't no one trying to hop in front of you, b----."

I was shocked! What could merit that kind of response? I looked at her, amazed that someone would say that to a total stranger, about something so insignificant. And I was holing a small child, no less! After being shocked, I was outraged. My sense of justice shot right through the roof - what did I do to deserve this? Who does she think she is? And why doesn't she look at me, if she's goign to inslut me and call me names and use foul language, in front of my baby? I must have looked at her for a full minute, which is a long time in that sort of situation. She never looked up - she just stood there, "filling" out her post office paperwork.

The guy, who was apparently after a pen, looked up at her too when she made that comment and he had the decensy to look a little abashed. But I stood there, paralyzed with indecision. I was so upset by it that I was actually shaking. I felt so much like I wanted to say something to her.

"What a bully!" I thought to myself. "And she's probably always been a bully and probably always will be, unless people start standing up to her!" I ran through all kinds of possible responses - the very polite "Have a nice day" on my way out. You know, sort of the heaping coals kind. Then I thought of just simply saying, "That comment was very unnecessary," just to let her know that people have feelings and you shouldn't just go around calling them names for no reason.

Ultimately, I just finished up my post office business and walked out. I still don't know if that was the right thing to do - as a Christian, should I try to say something, try to be kind to her or prevent her from possibly being so mean to the next person? Or is the fact that I'm trying to be like Jesus mean give me all the more reason to walk away? Am I really trying to be helpful or just trying to be right?

I don't know. Ultimately, I didn't want to do anything that would cause a scene with Ruthie or possible endanger her, so I left. But oh, what I wouldn't give to know what the right thing to do was!  I so badly want her to know that she was wrong to do that, that I was fair to be wondering what that guy was up to. And even if I wasn't, that still doesn't give her the right to be so rude! How would she like it if someone did that to her? How I wish I could witness someone put her in her place. How great that would be! See how she likes it when people are mean to her...

Clearly, I have a long way to go in the being like Jesus department.

If this had happened to Ian, he'd probably be thinking about the hard childhood she might have had, or how maybe her boss had totally humiliated her in front of her co-workers this morning, or any other reason that made her that way and how we should really feel compassion for her instead of anger. Well, thspts!