My life is busy. Work, family, church, friends, meetings, and the list goes on. I am often driving from one thing to the next, and I can get a little impatient when behind the wheel. There are many things that other drivers do that drive me crazy. For example:

  • The driver that prematurely turns their vehicle left when waiting to pull out from a stop sign and is partially blocking the other lane when I am trying to turn onto that road.
  • The driver that pulls out in front of me and then drives 10 miles per hour because they don’t know where they are going.
  • The driver of the large vehicle that cannot seem to stay in their own lane. I often advise them to purchase a smaller vehicle, but they can’t hear me.
  • The driver turning from a busy road into a parking lot while I am turning in behind them. They stop right inside the entrance to decide where they would like to park while I am in the road praying that a dump truck does not bring me to an early demise.
  • The driver that thinks they already purchased a self-driving car because they are looking at their phone instead of the road.
  • Any car that drives a different speed than I want to, whether I am behind them, or they are behind me trying to read my bumper stickers – and I don’t have any bumper stickers.

So why do I get so irritated when driving? Do I think my time is more valuable than their time? Do I think I am more important than them?

Romans 12:10b-18
Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

When I am having my devotions, this sounds great, but when I am sitting behind the wheel, I want to say the apostle Paul never had a car.

Becoming more like Christ is a journey. It takes effort, practice, love, and humility. It is a marathon, not a sprint. And few things humble me and remind me that I still have a long way to run, than when I am behind the driver’s wheel. There is still a lot of me and not enough Jesus.

Jim Nolt – Executive Board Member