Responding to rudeness

[sunshine100]

I know and understand that not everyone is nice,and that some people are just plain rude,but the least someone can do is say hello to you in your neighborhood,this is what happened to me today,I saw someone in my neighborhood and said hello,the woman just looked at me and didn't say anything,now mostly everyone in my neighborhood is very nice.

 

[carp614]

There was a lady in our old neighborhood that I never saw speak to or look at anyone. She would hit her garage door opener as soon as she rounded the corner. Her car would be fully in the garage just as the door hit it's height. She would hit the button again and lower the door and I swear she didn't open the car door until the garage door was completely closed. We lived there for 5 years and she never once made eye contact, much less a wave or anything.

Your experience is a bit more direct though. I wonder what is going on in her heart? I hope she is ok, but i'll bet she isn't

 

[Southernscotty]

Just love them from afar . Sometimes it's all we can really do.

 

[Southernscotty]

Just don't leave your bible tracts on their freshly punctured tires!! Ya know

 

[Serving Zion]

I know and understand that not everyone is nice,and that some people are just plain rude,but the least someone can do is say hello to you in your neighborhood,this is what happened to me today,I saw someone in my neighborhood and said hello,the woman just looked at me and didn't say anything,now mostly everyone in my neighborhood is very nice.

That is what I expect too. But as we are hearing, they are caught up in the worries of their mind - unable to experience life (that is, the spirit - John 1:4).

If you take it personally as you have done, it will become a personal weakness, a source for depression and despair - so have pity for them rather than yourself. They literally don't know what they are doing - barely aware of the fact they are in the same world as you.

 

[Dirk1540]

I know and understand that not everyone is nice,and that some people are just plain rude,but the least someone can do is say hello to you in your neighborhood,this is what happened to me today,I saw someone in my neighborhood and said hello,the woman just looked at me and didn't say anything,now mostly everyone in my neighborhood is very nice.

People who don’t say hi have always baffled me! But part of me thinks that these people might just have their minds wired differently, because on rare occasions I’ll get a Hi back from people who never usually say it. I’m thinking that maybe in the minds of these people they consider only one person saying Hi to be a complete exchange?? Not sure, just a theory I had.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Some people are very shy and find it very difficult to greet people under some circumstances. I guess one way of overcoming something like that is to find out some deed of kindness that you could offer to do for them. Offering to mow a neigbour's lawn is a good thing. My neighbour came one day to trim the hedge between our houses and used a chainsaw to bring the level of it down to six feet. Then he and his mate came over to my side and trimmed my hedge back. I really appreciated that because although I have an electric hedge trimmer, I didn't have a chainsaw to trim it right back to where it should be. Being part of a neighborhood watch group would be a great way of getting to know your neigbours as well. My wife goes over the road and offers to take an elderly neighbour's dog for a walk, puts her rubbish bins out for collection, and offers to get groceries for her when she goes to the supermarket.

 

[SkyWriting]

I know and understand that not everyone is nice,and that some people are just plain rude,but the least someone can do is say hello to you in your neighborhood,this is what happened to me today,I saw someone in my neighborhood and said hello,the woman just looked at me and didn't say anything,now mostly everyone in my neighborhood is very nice.

You just never know what people are thinking. You can only control your end of a relationship.

 

[Tolworth John]

I saw someone in my neighborhood and said hello,the woman just looked at me and didn't say anything

All you can do is to continue to smile and greet her.
She may respond, she may not, but your kindness may open a door for conversation.

 

[sunshine100]

All you can do is to continue to smile and greet her.
She may respond, she may not, but your kindness may open a door for conversation.

That's very true

 

[Phil 1:21]

I know and understand that not everyone is nice,and that some people are just plain rude,but the least someone can do is say hello to you in your neighborhood,this is what happened to me today,I saw someone in my neighborhood and said hello,the woman just looked at me and didn't say anything,now mostly everyone in my neighborhood is very nice.

Just let it go. We can't let little things like that bother us.

 

[Anna Therese]

I know and understand that not everyone is nice,and that some people are just plain rude,but the least someone can do is say hello to you in your neighborhood,this is what happened to me today,I saw someone in my neighborhood and said hello,the woman just looked at me and didn't say anything,now mostly everyone in my neighborhood is very nice.

In that situation, I would respond by saying within myself: Thank you, Lord. Thy Will be done.

Two things come to mind when I consider difficult, rude people. First is the truth that every thought, word, deed ought always to be directed to the glory of God. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God."

So, if I say hello to someone first for God's sake, who bids me to love my neighbor, then whether my neighbor receives it or not does not change what I did, having done it ultimately for God. St. Vincent de Paul said that what we give to God in charity, He always receives, and so everything we do ought to be done for LOVE.