Confession Time

Do you ever wish you had do-over days? I do, especially when I realize that I've screwed up. Friday was one of those days for me. As I mentioned in an earlier post, when I'm stressed out at work, I find myself struggling to maintain a good attitude toward my co-workers. Well, Friday was one of those days where I let stress get to me.

That morning I had to call a co-worker in for some assistance. He works in a different department and I don't deal with him much, but on the rare occasions that I do, I don't look forward to it. He has a personality that is very diferent from mine, and very different from most of my other co-workers. Sometimes the way that he conveys things makes it seem like he is talking down to us, and that rubs me the wrong way.

On Friday morning I asked him a question and he gave a response that just flew all over me and got my water hot. Now, deep down in my heart, I am sure that he meant it to be joking, and not mean and sarcastic (as it sounded to my judgmental ears). In retrospect, I should have chalked the comment up to this person just having a different sense of humor, and let the comment go and forget about it.

But, no, I had to go and tell a couple of co-workers about his comment and how it peeved me off. At the time, it felt good to vent and blow off that steam. But I quickly began to feel guilt over my reaction. I can't control how this guy speaks to me or my co-workers. I can't control it if he comes off acting and sounding like a jerk at times. But I can control my response, and I'm ashamed to say that my response was sinful. Not only did I harbor a bitter reaction to the guy, but I gossiped about it with other co-workers.

Of course, the things that tend to offend us most often are characteristics or habits that we ourselves have. I have a tendency to be sarcastic and quick witted, and my responses, while meant to evoke laughter, can sometimes inadvertently offend someone. So that makes it even worse that I don't cut this co-worker more slack, when he was probably just aiming for a quick laugh as well.

Yesterday I was talking to a friend about the need to extend grace towards people who hurt us. This morning as I thought about that particular discussion, God gently but firmly chided me for not exhibiting grace towards this co-worker. Once again I fell prey to opening my mouth when I should have kept it firmly shut.

And so my request for prayers at work continues...Although I can't have Friday back for a "do-over", I am thankful that God's mercies are new every morning, and that tomorrow can be a much better day than Friday was.