Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States
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I am a servant at our church. I love it so much and serving there is a blessing for me. Lately, some fellow servants have been acting very rude with me and have been displaying very bad manners as servants, sometimes not even saying hello to me. I know it sounds trivial, but it really hurts my feelings and I'm starting to resent them. I know that is a sin. I try to fight those feelings and try to make friends with them, but it is now difficult. If I see them while I am praying, I am distracted because of the feelings I experience, so I can't fully pray spiritually. I'm worried that it will get worse but I don't want it to as it would affect our church. Should I stop serving and just be a normal church member so to avoid conflict?

Although your feelings may be hurt, avoidance is not necessarily the solution in this situation. First examine yourself; ask yourself if your behavior may have led others to treat you in this manner? Next, try to find a different interpretation to their negative behavior. Could it be that you are misinterpreting their behavior? Try to ascribe a different meaning than your own interpretation. If you are trying to be friendly, but it is not coming through as genuine, this will not help the situation. If it is perceived that you are being disingenuous, this may further distance you from others. That is why even when you pray, negative thoughts enter your mind and force love out of your heart. Service is first and foremost to God. When we serve others, we are serving God. It should not matter what others think of you so long as you are being faithful to your service in Christ. There is always room for improvement, so you must be flexible and willing and eager to learn. Focus on the positives and do your best to be at peace with everyone. Discuss with your spiritual father ways of improving your social skills so that you may have better interactions with others (Romans 12:9-21).
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