Quiet Doesn’t Mean It Didn’t Affect Me

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
— Romans 12:21 (NIV)

Earlier today, I had to deal with a frustrating situation at the post office. A very expensive item of mine was lost, and when I went in to ask about it, the postmaster was very rude, hateful, and was very dismissive.

I didn’t say anything harsh I stayed quiet, left, and went out to my car. But even though I didn’t say much, it still bothered me and truthfully, I wanted to cry. It stuck with me for a few hours afterward. I kept thinking about how it made me feel, and honestly, I didn’t like that I let it bother me so much.

What keep coming to me aftewards more than what happened with the postmaster was the reminder that careless words can leave a lasting mark. And that made me stop and think have I ever made someone else feel the way I felt today? Even unintentionally?  The truth is, I have.

Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” It’s a reminder that we don’t need to respond to rudeness with rudeness. But it’s also a call to examine our own behavior too—to make sure we’re not spreading that same attitude to someone else, even on a stressful day.

I may not have said much today, but that moment still taught me something. It reminded me to be more aware of how I speak, how I treat people, and how even a small exchange can carry more weight than I realize.