I have the privilege of teaching students about patience and focus and diligence and obeying authorities and loving others.... and yet today i almost failed all of them. Not in a classroom, not on a stage. . . but behind the wheel of my car. maybe you think you know where this thought is going. . . but i think there is a small twist in the story that makes it a little different then your average driving story. It was 4:30 close to but not rush hour. there were many cars on the road, and the speed limit was 45 mph and i was headed towards and intersection with a light. I was so excited to be headed home, and i drive this route almost everyday so i admit kinda went into auto pilot. and i was in definitely in 43 mph zone. I try not to speed. i try to obey the rules, after all i teach about obedience. what would it look like if i just speed along and didn't care about the rules and then tried to teach others to obey.
Obedience is a matter of obedience all the time, not just when it was convenient.
Please imagine my shock then when the car behind me has speed up to the back bumper of my car, laid on its horn and the drive is yelling at me and signing 45 to me.as though i am breaking the law by driving less then the speed limit. Last time i checked a speed limit sign was indicating the maximum speed a person could drive on the indicated road. not the minimum.
With in seconds the driver behind me moved to the left lane (that's right i was in the right lane traditionally known as the slow lane) and passed me while honking his horn signing 45 to me with a few other finger signs (i am not sure how they indicated speed limit) and then stepped on his gas pedal and moved at 55 mph.
What amazed me about this entire interaction was that after it was over i was so frustrated. speedy man was gone, i had continued to obey, and i was still headed home. but something in me was so entirely frustrated about being yelled at for doing what is right. I wished that man would get pulled over so that i would have been justified in my obedience by the confirmation of his disobedience.
Yet that isn't how God works.
God clearly states that he will repay. that it is not in my authority to decide how or why or when.
I wonder how many times in a day i speed by others and don't take the time to know that they are trying to obey. How many times do i speed past the hand of God thinking that HE is moving too slow and i have a place to be. How many times is my moment is more important to me then my obedience?
So to the man who speed by me today, and to those who will speed by the hand of God tomorrow... is it really that important to fulfill your plan? What if..... just What if God has something for you in the moment that you are trying so hard to pass through?