I love the morning drive when I take my son to school. Well, most of it.
We don’t always talk much. But we pray together every morning when we get close to the school. That’s my favorite time, as I lift him up to the Lord, ask for protection, and that He grant him wisdom and discernment to properly process all the information coming at him.
It’s a beautiful time.
And honestly, I’m shocked that it happens immediately after a certain stretch of road where my insides regularly become unglued. Sometimes I think I should be praying for my salvation again after some of the rage that flows through my heart.
I tame it each time, and move seamlessly into my holy moment of prayer without skipping a beat.
Let me explain, because if you understand what happens on this stretch of road, then you’ll understand and agree, and I’ll be justified in my feelings.
I always get stuck behind people driving 35 MPH… IN A 45 MPH ZONE!
I know, right?
Can you believe it? The nerve…
How dare someone drive 10 MPH under the speed limit? Don’t they have somewhere to be? I mean seriously dude… it’s a street, not a parking lot!
And every single time, the same question runs through my mind.
“Why can’t you at least drive the speed limit?”
So I give them a stare down that would shame them like never in their life… if they could see my face in their rear view mirror. They should be able to, considering how closely I’m tailgating them. I’m practically in the back seat of their car!
It recently dawned on me what my question really means. “At least drive the speed limit.” My expectation is that at minimum they would go as fast as or faster than the legal limit.
What’s happened to my perspective on rules and laws when I see a limit as a minimum? Do I really respect the laws placed for my safety and the safety of others?
I’m still impatient. I still want these pokey-joe drivers to speed it up a bit.
But I feel like I need to work on being trusted with little (respecting the “minor” and “insignificant” laws of the land), if I can ultimately be trusted with much (teaching and ministering the “major” Laws of the Lord). I feel like it’s an integrity issue as it relates to honoring and respecting authority.
What do you think? Is it acceptable to disregard authority and rules that we give a lower value, and lift up the higher moral and spiritual values of our faith/life? Or should both be given equal value and respect?
Oh I am so happy someone else gets impatient like I do with people that go under the speed limit. I do not mind going the speed limit posted but under it and my blood starts to boil. While we are speaking about what makes our blood boil people that throw cigarette butts out of the car window and people that dump their trash out side the car while waiting at a red light. Oh I have issues.
By the way the answer I would give to your question: in my opinion all are equal.
Have a good day!
ha! it’s good to know that i’m not alone in this! and i agree with you that all are equal… which is exactly why i think i need to get over my need for speed, and check my attitude when others are actually obeying things like traffic laws…
#fistbump
Maybe the ones that are most loving should be most elevated? So, sometimes under is better, and sometimes ignoring and going over rules…at least when it comes to speed, maybe.