I am currently working in Minnesota and heard a term this past weekend called “Minnesota Nice”. So today I asked some work colleagues what that was and basically it is a extreme form of passive aggressive
While I will do this from time to time, just so I can flip the switch and go from passive aggressive to just aggressive. No matter how you look at it, both are wrong. We are instructed to confront the person who has sinned against us, but is how you handle it that makes the difference.
Matthew 18:15 New International Version (NIV)
Dealing With Sin in the Church
15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.
On Sunday, as I was leaving the restaurant parking lot in my vehicle, a car passed me and it looked like the driver flipped me off. So I turned around and went to him and asked. Well another person got of the car on the passenger side and asked if we had a problem. I was like not sure, do we. His next comment was he did not want any problems. So I asked the driver again. He told me no, that is was more of a wave and I guess the way it went, it looked like he gave me the finger. So I told him that I thought he gave me the finger and that I was like what the heck, why did this guy just flip me off. He assured me that was not the case and I said we are good. In the end everything was ok and we both left peacefully. However, I could tell that they are not use to this type of behavior because both of them seemed almost intimated that a person would come up to them to ask this question.
I told the story to my wife and her reply was what if he has said yes, well two things would have come out my mouth. Why and do we have a problem? Fortunately it never got that far.
The strange thing was, was that I was not mad nor was I yelling and I was not nervous. I spoke in a calm manner and kept my cool. Thanks you Lord for helping me in that situation and for helping the situation to resolve in a non-violent way.
Do not be afraid to confront those that have sinned against you. Also, do not do it in a hostile way or it can go wrong very quickly. If you are quick to anger, this may not be the best approach for you at this time. You first need to get that under control, so I urge you to seek help from God by using the teachings that Christ has given us.