Recently, life in the carpool line got a little exciting. I haven’t experienced road rage since I left Atlanta about a year ago. Lo and behold, it found me in the holler. Day One: A blue car did not follow protocol and decided to cut in. Okay, fine, I was new here once and didn’t understand the system so maybe that was the case with this blue car. Perhaps, there was a family emergency and they offered to help out in an unfortunate situation. It happens, I decided to proceed with grace. THEN, a lady in an SUV decided to do a rolling stop. You know one where you kinda stop but not really? Guess who COMPLETELY stopped first? Me. This girl. Talk about ANGER boiling up because I was obviously doing the right thing and should have gone first. Grace was found after my flesh had some words she never even heard. Okay, fine. It obviously is what it is and at some point, you have to let it go because there isn’t anything you can do about because the other person has already gone about their day.
On the next day, the little blue car shows up attempting to cut in line. He sure did. I had already extended this guy grace once, but again for the same action? I am thinking to myself, “Who does he think he is?” Just because I work from home doesn’t mean my time isn’t valuable. It’s important and I have things to do than to allow you to cut in and make me late. It took all of my strength to stay in my car and not give the person in the blue car a piece of my mind. I probably would have if God wouldn’t have stepped in. Granted, I was madder than a hornet but I made the choice that it just wasn’t worth it because for whatever reason that I do not understand or see at the time, it happened because God allowed it to.
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,“Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. They must turn from evil and do good;they must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous nd his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:8-12
After some time reading God’s word, I was thinking: Who am I?
Did I really think that I was superior enough to say something to these people because I felt I could justify the situation? What if their situations were more urgent than mine?
Would I not want to be extended grace over and over? God extends it every time. Who am I not to do the same regardless?
Do I want the face of the Lord against me because I wanted to avenge the petty acts done against me that absolutely did not affect me or my important time?
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
Next time, I will smile, wave, and allow them to pass with joy.
Xoxo,
Hannah B.
Collective Circle Gathering 