Road Rage and Loving Others
By Lexi Cole
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”
John 13:34
A few years ago, my mom was really nervous about my driving alone to visit a friend in Illinois. So there I was, driving along Roosevelt Avenue, almost to my destination, trying to figure out what she was so worried about, and feeling very proud of myself. Yes, I battled insane construction, annoying tolls, and mean Illinois drivers who don’t use their blinkers, but I was practically there. I came to a red light and noticed a guy to my right wanting to pull into my lane, but no one would let him in. I did. He waved; I waved back. Less than two minutes later, a woman in a minivan pulled out in front of him. It wasn’t all that risky; he barely had to tap on his brakes. But, he obnoxiously blared his horn and tailed this minivan until I turned onto a different road. While it had nothing to do with me, I was furious! What kind of jerk was this guy anyway? Here, I had been gracious to him, and yet two minutes later, the man couldn’t even let a minivan (a.k.a. “classic mom-car”) into his lane. By Lexi Cole
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”
John 13:34
Then, I realized something (besides that I might have road rage). That’s exactly how we are with God. He saves us and a couple of minutes later, we’re too busy to invest in someone else’s life. He takes the time to listen to our every prayer, and the following day we forget to pray for someone else’s problem, pain or struggle. He loves us unconditionally, and the next week we disregard being intentional about loving others. I think it’s easy for Christians to accidentally see God as a no-fee ATM machine. We go to Him with our problem, enter our PIN, grab the solution, and then go without a second thought. That’s not a relationship, it’s a transaction.
We are called to be like Jesus to others because “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). My response to that guy just showed how unlike God I am…and maybe how silly my reaction is to such little things. We have been loved by a great God and commanded to love others. I’m working on not forgetting that command when, two minutes later, I have the chance to love as Christ does. To have Him live His life of love through me.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Any chance you’ve used God as a no-fee ATM machine recently? Ask for His forgiveness, and intentionally focus on your love relationship with Him today.
2. To whom can you show and tell Jesus’ love today?
FURTHER READING:
Matthew 18:21-35; I Corinthians 13
Lexi is an Elementary Education major at Bethel University, currently studying abroad in Scotland. The last two summers, she’s been the Children’s Ministries intern at Oakwood.
