Why do I do it?

Sometimes I'm a jerk. I'm really short tempered with people who don't know what their doing, who don't put thought into their actions, or who are oblivious to others around them. I really lack patience for these people. For instance, I'm at a stop light and the person in the car in front of me is chatting away on their cell phone while the light has already turned it's fourth shade of green. I am the type that will honk the horn. I don't gesture or make faces, but if they aren't paying attention and it's been 5 or 6 seconds, they're getting a honk. I don't feel very good about it, but for the love PAY ATTENTION! Yesterday, I contemplated letting a guy hit my car when he pulled out in front of me. He was clearly in the wrong and wasn't paying attention. He would have paid "out tha nose" to fix my car. This would have given me tremendous satisfaction, because I could have been like - "What were you thinking?" But I showed restraint and hit the brakes.

All that to set up this situation. At work, I'm used to dealing with professionals or people who are in the industry and know what they're talking about. As of late, I've had to do a lot of work with a good number of Joe Schmoes;people off the street with no more knowledge of my industry than Anna Nicole Smith (so it's safe to say that I'm not in the business of loud obnoxious drunks, marrying rich old men, sleazy movies, or trim spa) I'm in insurance by the way. These Joes are not my customers or even my customers' customers - so no love there.
So I get this call and from the word go, I know it's a Joe because it's the 30th call I've received of this type today. It goes like this:

"This is Matt, may I help you"
"Uh yeah, this is Joe Schmo and I was told to give you a call."
"Ok, who told you to call me?"
"Uh, my dad." - by the sound of his voice, Joe was my age.
"Alright, why did your dad tell you to call me?"
"I don't know, he just told me to call and said that you could help me."
At this point I knew why he was calling and what he needed, but I'm a jerk and I really wanted this guy to know why he was calling me.
"Help you with what" I ask.
"Uh, I don't know, he just said to call"
"Well Joe, can you have your dad call me, I can't help you if you don't know why you're calling me."
"Ok, bye"

I had ample opportunity to help this guy out, but I'm a jerk and I didn't have the patience for him. It's pretty tough when you can see one of your short comings so clearly. The mirror is pretty tough to look at sometimes. Thankfully I am loved despite my short comings. So is Joe. I need to do a better job of remembering that. - John 13:35