There I was, driving along without a care in the world, until flashing lights behind me summoned me to pull over. A ball of resentment started churning in my gut. In the days following, the ball continued to tumble around and began to grow until it demanded focused attention.
I realized I had three particular thoughts that kept me grumbling:
1- Speed trap:
The town had some nerve reducing the speed limit for a short portion of the highway just to pad their pockets at drivers’ expense.
2- Police attitude:
The policeman kept me waiting for over half hour on the side of the road because his computer wasn’t working. When he finally came to my car, I expected that he’d give me a break, but he just gave me a ticket.
3- Everyone else:
I was going the same speed as everyone else on the highway. Why did I get pulled over and not anyone else?
The resentment I was experiencing began to infiltrate my attitude, affecting other areas of my life. So it was time for some self-examination, and what I found wasn’t pretty.
1- Speed trap:
The motive for reduced speed may or may not have anything to do with revenue for the town. It’s just as likely that it was for safety. But honestly, their motive is irrelevant. It’s not up to me to make the laws; it is up to me to obey them. That’s the commitment I made when I got my driver’s license.
Life lesson: I should pay attention to what I’m responsible for and not try to manage the rest of the world. This does NOT mean that I stick my head in the sand and ignore injustices in the world. It means that I exercise discernment – I take action in situations that call for me to speak up for justice, but I don’t try to mange other people’s lives when they really are doing just fine without me.
“…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business…” 1 Thess. 4:11
“Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice.” Phil 1:18
2- Attitude:
I was expecting grace from the police officer and was angry when it wasn’t offered. But it’s wrong of me to maintain an expectation of grace from others. The police officer was just doing his job. He could have been nicer, but he was probably annoyed at his technology not working. And his attitude is his problem, not mine.
Life lesson: It’s up to me to appreciate grace when offered, to not grumble when it isn’t, and to offer grace whenever I can.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Phil. 2:3-5
3- Everyone else:
The bottom line is – I was speeding. Just because everyone else was speeding, doesn’t excuse my guilt. There is a legal standard, and I overstepped it. The Bible is my standard in life. Just because others might choose to follow a different standard doesn’t give me an excuse to sin.
Life lesson: I must reap what I sow, and let everyone else reap what they sow. And don’t compare myself to them. Who knows what they might be dealing with in life?
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. . . . And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Gal. 6:7,9
Thankfully, we have a Savior who fulfilled the law, a Savior who freely offers true grace, a Savior who paid the penalty for my guilt.
