Day 11: The Disrespectful Excuse

Let's suppose it's after church...As was often the case, Chris was ready to go before I would have been. He informed me, "Let's go," and then went to round up children. I proceeded to finish the conversation I was in the middle of-after all, I wouldn't want to be rude! By the time I reached the vehicle, I knew way too much time had elapsed and the man was not happy with me. You see, he had explained that when I didn't come right away it felt disrespectful, like I cared more about whoever/whatever held me up than I did about him. This frustrated me! It wasn't like I had set out to be disrespectful-I was only finishing up my conversation. Besides, (as if this settled the matter), "I didn't mean it that way at all!" I may as well have said, "How stupid that that felt disrespectful! I didn't even mean it that way." Thus I disrespected even his feelings of disrespect! In so many situations all I could focus on was "The reason I did what I did!" instead of my first thought being, "How did that make him feel?"