Abusive Phone call

I am tired tonight. This week I have been dragged into a controversy within a group using our Church building. I won't go into details but it has involved me being put in an awkward position where I had to make decision that would annoy one group of people. I wrote a fairly straight talking email outlining my thoughts on the sadness of the whole situation and my final decision. Since then I have talked to distressed people, pondered what lay ahead and read angry emails. The worst thing happened when one guy rang me late on Tuesday night, introduced himself, said he had read my decision and that I was a "wanker" and hung up. Nice.

Now in my work I have often been called worse things. Firemen can throw cheek and abuse at me with all sorts of insinuations... in fun. I have had drunk people with mental health issues abuse me at the drop-in centre. (Virtually all apologise the next week.) I have had late night phone calls from people with mental health issues going through a down time and they have called me names and described me as racist and other nasty descriptions. Again often they have apologised later.  I have had people trying to con money out of me abuse me when I refuse, even threaten to harm my family in one instance. But this seemed totally unfair. It was not my fight! I did not cause the controversy. I got put unavoidably in the middle of it. He doesn't know me. But he dropped this abuse on me and hung up. I could not reason with him. I did not know his phone number or email address. I have tried to let it run off my back. I think I have responded in a constructive way, though letting the group involved know I did not appreciate it. But somehow it wears you out knowing there is controversy and bad feelings toward you that you cannot do anything about. I have read my email that he was complaining about dozens of times to see if it was nasty. It was assertive (it had to be) but respectful and clear.  The person I wrote the email to responded in a respectful and reasoned way though disagreeing with my decision. But this man was clearly upset.  The man has since resigned his position, I don't know the circumstances of that.

It is a sad but interesting experience. It really is where your Christian maturity is tested. Part of me would have liked to have punched his lights out. I must admit to swearing as I put the phone down. Part of me wanted to write a nasty sarcastic email. I had to stop and ask myself, "What does it mean to follow the crucified one in this instance?" It requires the readiness to test your part in the battle and see if you have been as constructive ass possible. It requires you to trust deep down that you are OK and you really don't have to defend yourself. It requires putting aside any retribution and trusting that right will prevail.  It has been an interesting personal reflective exercise. I hope, however I get more sleep tonight. My life is never dull.