Last week I was driving my granddaughter to soccer practice, and I was driving in the left lane. I would normally get over to let faster drivers pass me, however, I knew my left turn was coming up. A red truck zoomed up behind me and seemed to be trying to speed me up. I didn’t speed up, because I was just about to get over into the left turning lane. The truck darted into the right lane. It then darted back in front of me. They slowed down and started weaving back and forth, I assume to get my attention. They wanted me to know they were angry, or they wanted to teach me a lesson. I’m not really sure. I responded by telling them they were #1 with a certain finger. I made sure my grandchildren did not see it. However, it was front and center for the driver in the truck to see. I let them know I was angry and I wasn’t backing down. It wasn’t one of my proudest moments.
Let’s be honest. In the recent years there are way more rude, quick-tempered, angry, road raging, people. It’s not just happening on the roads either. It’s happening in businesses, doctors’ offices, insurance offices, grocery stores. . .anywhere and everywhere. People are anxious and stressed. Most of us are to some degree, but it’s how we handle that anxiousness and stress that matters.
That road-rage event made me realize that I have some work to do. The reaction was brief, and it seemed harmless enough, but I knew it was wrong. It definitely didn’t help or make anyone feel any better.
At church that next Sunday, the talks were about turning the other cheek and humility. I felt like God was really trying to drive the message in for me.
🌟 Matthew 5:44-45 (KJV)
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you…”
What ever happened to the phrases, “The customer is always right”? Or “Kill them with kindness”? There is wisdom in those phrases. It didn’t mean customers were actually always right. It meant to treat them like they were right, or simply try to understand where they were coming from. And we knew we weren’t going to actually “kill” anyone when they said, “Kill them with kindness.” It meant the way to overcome someone’s bad attitude was to be kind.
🌟 Romans 12:21 (KJV)
“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
That day on the road was a reminder that our reactions reveal who we are becoming. I don’t want anger to have the final word — I want light and love to. I don’t want to be part of the problem. I want to be part of the solution. Every encounter, whether behind the wheel or in the checkout line, gives us a choice: to mirror the world’s frustration or to reflect God’s love. We may not always get it right. However, we can keep striving to “overcome evil with good.” We can do this with one small act of patience and kindness at a time.
~Many Blessings to You and Yours!
Lost and Finding Joy 
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