Member-only story
The Soft Answer: a Neglected Christian Tool
I live in a town near Toronto and occasionally commute by bus to the big city. After a long day covering a story, I was ready to settle into my plush seat on a commuter bus and relax. I pushed the button under my armrest to a slightly reclining position.
“Oh no, you don’t!” A voice shouted. Two hands grabbed the seat on either side from behind and pushed the seat back into an upright position. I sat in shock for a moment and then moved to another seat soon after. I noticed that young girls were sitting behind and across me who appeared to be around sixteen years old.
In my new seat, my head started to swirl with emotion. Should I say something? Should I let it go? I was tired and not up for a fight. I said nothing, but if looks could kill, the boisterous, talkative girls beside and behind me would have been dead meat.
Scenes like this are becoming more common these days. We live in an increasingly selfish world where people focus on enforcing their “rights,” no matter who they have to step on to get what they want. We have gotten used to being yelled at if we do not drive fast enough or accidentally cut someone off.
I have had impatient drivers honk at me because I am too slow while crossing the street. I am tempted to say, “So sorry that old age and cancer make me so slow” to shut them up.
