Is there any such thing as customer service anymore, or even basic human kindness? It seems that anywhere you go, people are grouchy, impatient, people-haters. It’s rare to ask any type of store employee for assistance, and actually get help with a cheerful attitude. Even getting help with a bad attitude is infrequent. What I’ve been encountering are employees who pass the buck to another employee I have to find and ask again. Or the employee automatically says they don’t have or don’t provide what I’m asking about.
Have you ever asked a cashier to check a price and gotten the eye roll? Ever asked about a product and the employee acts like an expert, but clearly has no idea what they’re saying? My all-time pet-peeve is asking for an item and being told, “If it’s not out, we don’t have it.” How do they know I’m not missing it on the shelf? How are they sure what I’m even talking about? And is that huge storeroom really completely empty? I’ve worked in retail. The storeroom is not empty.
I understand that everyone is working short since the Covid pandemic. I don’t understand why everyone is working short. Where did all the workers go? But even if your job gets harder, you shouldn’t take it out on customers. If there weren’t any customers, there wouldn’t be a job. It doesn’t cost any more to be kind than it does to be condescending and rude. And don’t even get me started on hospital emergency departments!
Awfulness
Employees are so awful and hostile compared to when “the customer is always right” was a thing. But it isn’t just employees. I have also witnessed customers being totally outrageous and allowing their children to be awful. People like this can definitely make a workday miserable. Coworkers everywhere are making others hate their choice of employment. Why is everyone being so nasty to everyone else without provocation? Why have so many adult children disowned their parents? How did selfish, arrogant, lying, viscous, unreasonable, and entitled people become the norm?
God warned us about the hearts of people in the end times:
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5, ESV
The last part of this Scripture, “avoid such people,” isn’t easy. You can’t always get another job or move. Caring about people who behave in such a manner is also hard. You don’t want to push them away, but you can’t condone their actions. Even though the Bible foretold of this unbearable society, it says it will be difficult, not that we can fix it. This doesn’t mean complicity.
What Do We Do?
So, if we’re not to be complicit or go around telling everyone how to behave, what do we do? We’re instructed to “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction,” (2 Timothy 4:2, ESV). I don’t believe I’ll be preaching to the cashier rolling her eyes, unless God clearly says to. The point is to know the Word, live the Word, and be prepared to defend the Word. We should give instruction if the situation warrants, such as lovingly talking to a family member or close friend.
With the world seemingly turning on its head as prophesied in Scripture, nastiness is sadly here to the end. Since we can’t change other people or force anyone to do the right thing, we need to manage our reactions. Beginning your day expecting people to be awful can either be negative or positive. You can either wait for the worst in everyone and let it ruin your mood and your day. Or, you can guard yourself by knowing the worst is likely and being prepared with a positive reaction plan.
Being prepared for negativity involves knowing and living the Word and choosing to be positive and kind. This doesn’t mean you have to let yourself be taken advantage of or treated badly. It just means you won’t get sucked into the sludge of negativity and horribleness.
More to Come
With the Bible warning us of more to come along the lines of people adopting abhorrent characteristics, prayer is crucial. Pray for others and yourself to see the truth. Pray for protection. And pray that you will not be deceived. We shouldn’t accept evil nature as normal, but we shouldn’t be surprised by it either. Never give up on loved ones. God still hears and answers prayers.
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,” (Colossians 3:12, ESV). Guard your heart with goodness.
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