Smart Alec, Dismissive Answer

One of the things that really ticks me off, is the smart-alec dismissive answer. I mean the sort of answer you get when you’ve asked a serious question and get a flippant reply.

I’m not trying to be a killjoy here. I don’t mean the sort of answers that you get when you’ve made a sarcastic comment or cracked a funny.

For example, when I ask my wife if she has seen one of my tools, that I was using around the house and the answer I get is “I don’t use them”.

Love and The Dismissive Answer

I love my wife but seriously. The chances are that I used it to fix something that would benefit the household. Surely it is in everybody’s best interest to offer some help. Instead, I get a smart-alec comment.

Even If I were asking for something for myself, what’s wrong with asking for some help? Why should I expect to be belittled? I accept that I’m a little sensitive about this. Even remember my mother saying to me “I didn’t wear it” or “I didn’t take it off” when I inquired as to the whereabouts of some article of clothing or item I used to play with.

I understand that it was a product of our time. That these sorts of comments are made because that is what we have been taught to say by our parents. But as brilliant as they were, my parents did not get everything right. I think this is one of those occasions.

Everyone Is Entitled To Ask For Some Help Sometimes

Everyone is entitled to ask for some help sometimes. One should not expect a sarcastic or dismissive answer when they do. Even if you do feel exasperated at the question.

Now I doubt that my wife is ever going to completely abandon sarcasm towards me. After all, it is one of the ways she shows love. But I will keep working with her and between you and me, her with me, to be just a little less sarcastic towards me. May I recommend that you do the same to others?

Next time you feel tempted to give a smart alec reply to someone who has asked you a question, how about stopping and asking yourself, “does this person deserve this or should I just give the help they are asking for?

Dismissive Answers and Children

And that goes double if you are dealing with children. Dismissive answers do not go down well with children.

One thing that can be counted on, God will never give you a sarcastic answer and if anybody is entitled He is with all the stupid things we get up to.

Hebrews 10:35 says, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” now I have taken this completely out of context but the confidence is relevant. We can be completely confident that The Lord is a safe zone so that we can call on him for anything.

More than that, I have to say that I am constantly amazed at how often, if it is important enough, particularly to God’s work, I have prayed when I needed to find something and looked down and there it is. Imaging how this applies to much bigger things?

Richard