#182

There Is Simply No More Room Under the Bus

Bosses sometimes do it to employees. Sometimes, employees do it to bosses, though probably behind their back if they want to keep their job. Sometimes it’s done employee to employee. We see politicians do it to their fellow politicians almost on a daily basis. Where ever it occurs, it creates a toxic environment. To put it in milder terms it’s called making your fellow human being look bad in order to make yourself look good. Another more concise and precise way to put it is “throw them under the bus”. And there’s just no more room under the bus.

I guess there was a time when “saving face” was something someone did for you. They acted or spoke in your behalf to make you look maybe not quite so bad. Now we take it upon ourselves to save our own face by throwing people under the bus.

And it’s even more tragic when you see two followers of Jesus Christ treat each other that way. To some degree it’s what turned me off from debates. It seemed at some point the debaters quit debating the issue, and started gouging each other’s eyes out - throwing each other under the bus.

We continue to see it in publications as editors and writers resort to name-calling and demeaning statements when addressing their side of an issue.

I believe the one who is doing the throwing is the one who is self deceived. They believe they are better than everyone else and they are, therefore, going to make sure that everyone else knows it no matter whose dignity and self-worth is at stake.

Too many times this takes the form of outright lies. They simply make up things about the other person which are not true. But for the self deceived person, the truth is not the goal - others thinking highly of them is.

And it seems that there are those who constantly find themselves under the bus. How long can they take it? Many would say it is their fault for not being more assertive. Since when do we shift the blame to the victim and away from the culprit? Oh yes. I forgot. This is the 21^st century.

Surely we, at least intellectually, know this is not the way to treat people. But what about if you are the one being treated this way?

The words of Jesus, “Love your enemies, pray for those who harass you” (Matthew 5:44 – CEB)

The words of Paul, “Bless people who harass you - bless and do not curse them.”  (Romans 12:14 – CEB)

Easier said than done, I guess. There’s just no more room under the bus.