Obviously I wouldn't be writing about this if l didn't see it as a problem for our society or us as a body of believers. I actually see it a lot, and I've been guilty of road rage myself. But l think the biggest problem here is that we don't even realize there's a problem. So why is road rage even a problem? Because as Christians, we represent Christ to everyone around us.
"But l'll never meet these people or ever have a conversation with them, so they'll never know I'm a Christian!"
The truth is, the way you drive is a reflection of what's in your heart. If you're getting impatient on the road, you're probably getting impatient off the road. Extending grace toward people that seriously annoy you is tough, but you hear it all the time: "Jesus loves them, so you need to love them too." As obnoxious as that may be sometimes, here's a new way to look at it:
Showing people grace when they annoy you is a blessing for yourself. If you're like me, getting an opportunity to help someone out, whether it be helping a friend through a crisis or handing a homeless man a hot lunch, gives you this unbelievable joy that leaves you smiling for the rest of the day. That joy comes from doing the will of God, and being more like Him. So, when you have a choice to either get impatient and take things into your own hands or to show grace and trust that everything is in God's hands, you have the chance to be more like Him, and it will fill you with that same joy!But Danielle, you don't understand, these people are just soooo annoying.
Trust me, I understand. I deal with stupid drivers all the time, and I deal with annoying people even more frequently; I work in the food business -- I understand annoying people. But, if you crack open your Bibles with me, we'll see that Jesus dealt with some of the most annoying people to ever walk the planet. Let's start with tax collectors -- definitely something we can all relate to. Every time I open my check, I get to see how much I've charitably donated to the good ole' United States Government. Matthew 22:21 says, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caeser's."
. . . but it doesn't belong to Caeser! It belongs to me! I worked my tail off to earn this money!
You know this one too, "Every good and perfect gift comes from the Lord." Money may not be a perfect gift, but it definitely comes from the Lord. So is it really our money? Well now that I've got my tail between my legs, how did Jesus deal with tax collectors? A lot of you probably know Luke 19:10 by heart, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." But do you know the rest of that chapter? It's the story of Zacchaeus. You know, that 'wee little man'? Well he was more than just a short guy. He totally had a Napoleon complex; he was the chief tax collector. Every time Jesus had money taken out of his 'paycheck,' it went to Zacchaeus. And Jesus wasn't monetarily rich by any means. So he had every right to be annoyed by Zacchaeus. Instead of blowing him off or telling him to get lost, Jesus goes, "Hey! I'm spending the night tonight." The most annoying person Jesus knew just became his host for the night.
Obviously being perfectly graceful at all times isn't possible -- we're still imperfect beings. But the underlying principle still holds true: it's a beautiful blessing to be able to be more like Christ by showing grace to those we'd really rather not, whether we're on the road, tired from a long day's work, or any time for that matter!
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." -Matthew 5:7
God, l pray that you would soften the hearts of Your people, humbling us with the memory of the abundant grace You have poured out to each of us. Let us speak words of comfort to the brokenhearted, wisdom to those who seek it, and love to all. Help us to be ever mindful that we were lost, and it was Your grace that searched us out and led us to true freedom. Thank you so much for everything You've done for us, and all You have yet to do.
In Jesus' precious name,
Amen.
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