Who Stole My Catalytic Converter?
Almost two months ago now, I had a very interesting week. I had just started my new night job, and things had gotten pretty rushed. Christmas was crazy, which is why I am just now beginning to post on my blog again! I wrote this a while back, but I'm just going to type it as I wrote it then:
"I had an interesting day today. It was actually quite normal until I left my day job to get to my night job. That's when it happened. I was rear-ended by the truck behind me. Panic ensued, mostly because I knew this was going to make me late for my evening job, which I have only been at for less than a week.
While I was still halfway out into the street and with traffic coming to a stop both to my left and behind us, I leaned out the door to tell the driver behind me that he needed to back up. He was already out of his car, walking toward me. When I finally could pull back into the shopping center drive, I got out of my truck and walked back to him to give directions. I should have recognized something was wrong at that point. I could tell by the way he was responding to me that something wasn't right. I told him that we should pull into the parking lot next to us, and I thought he was trying to tell me everything was okay; there was no damage to the car. So I pointed out the ding on my bumper, and he said we could go into the parking lot. So we did.
It was pouring down rain. It was the type of rain that I hope and prayed for over the summer (I think everyone in OK did). I pulled into the parking lot, and so did he. Since it was raining, I grabbed my insurance information out of my glove box and reached for a pen and paper. While I am writing my information down, I found I needed to ask my insurance company a question. As I hung up with them, he pulled out and left! He never got out of his truck. Never asked if I was okay. He sat in his truck and then decided to leave. While I quickly got his tag number, I shut my door and moved to catch him. I thought maybe he thought that I wasn't ever going to get out of my car. Maybe he got mad because I made him wait while I wrote down the information. Maybe he... had absolutely NO RIGHT to leave without giving me any information. As I got nearer, I honked at him, and he jumped the median and raced away.
This leaves me, alone in my car, angry, and honestly...a little scared. I felt violated; like someone ripped something away from me. He might as well have been a thief; he stole my feeling of security in human kindness. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't jump the median like he did because my truck is smaller than his.
And I had to get to work. And I was angry. And all along the way, the Father was reminding me how He forgave us, so should we, too, forgive others. He also reminded me about the situation with my shoe. I was not to complain about it; I was to forgive. The damage to my bumper was small. In time, I can have it repaired. Meanwhile, I can assert my right to a seven-fold return for what was stolen from me (Proverbs 6:30,31). Still, anger ad annoyance wanted to rear their ugly heads to declare what was rightfully mine! I wanted to tell everyone! And all the while, the word "forgiveness" kept popping up in my spirit.
I don't know why he left. It doesn't matter. The question is, "Am I going to do what the Bible says?" Do I believe what I have been taught? Am I willing to let this go for the sake of the love of the Father for that man that just drove away?
Forgiveness is not easy... ever. Still, if you will allow the Lord to soften your heart to the people around you, you may find it much easier. When you let go of your own human selfishness and focus on the fact that Jesus died for them just as much as He did for you, then it becomes easier. We tend to think of every situation (good or bad) in terms of "us". How will it affect me? How does this make me feel? I am angry. I am hurt. But what about them? How will it affect them? How does it make them feel? Are they angry? Are they hurt? Unfortunately, those questions are rarely asked.
But today, the Father made me ask them. Even as I wrote this, I though of that man. He was probably scared (especially if he didn't have insurance). He could have ben angry because I didn't get out of the car right away. No matter what he was feeling, the situation today will affect him.
I choose to forgive. My Father forgave me. Jesus forgave me. I own nothing more than to love (Romans 13:8)... and that includes forgiveness."
AND THAT INCLUDES THE PERSON THAT STOLE MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER THE FOLLOWING WEEK!
This week: think about the bitterness and resentment you may be holding against someone. Ask the questions... and love them... forgive them.
Micale
"I had an interesting day today. It was actually quite normal until I left my day job to get to my night job. That's when it happened. I was rear-ended by the truck behind me. Panic ensued, mostly because I knew this was going to make me late for my evening job, which I have only been at for less than a week.
While I was still halfway out into the street and with traffic coming to a stop both to my left and behind us, I leaned out the door to tell the driver behind me that he needed to back up. He was already out of his car, walking toward me. When I finally could pull back into the shopping center drive, I got out of my truck and walked back to him to give directions. I should have recognized something was wrong at that point. I could tell by the way he was responding to me that something wasn't right. I told him that we should pull into the parking lot next to us, and I thought he was trying to tell me everything was okay; there was no damage to the car. So I pointed out the ding on my bumper, and he said we could go into the parking lot. So we did.
It was pouring down rain. It was the type of rain that I hope and prayed for over the summer (I think everyone in OK did). I pulled into the parking lot, and so did he. Since it was raining, I grabbed my insurance information out of my glove box and reached for a pen and paper. While I am writing my information down, I found I needed to ask my insurance company a question. As I hung up with them, he pulled out and left! He never got out of his truck. Never asked if I was okay. He sat in his truck and then decided to leave. While I quickly got his tag number, I shut my door and moved to catch him. I thought maybe he thought that I wasn't ever going to get out of my car. Maybe he got mad because I made him wait while I wrote down the information. Maybe he... had absolutely NO RIGHT to leave without giving me any information. As I got nearer, I honked at him, and he jumped the median and raced away.
This leaves me, alone in my car, angry, and honestly...a little scared. I felt violated; like someone ripped something away from me. He might as well have been a thief; he stole my feeling of security in human kindness. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't jump the median like he did because my truck is smaller than his.
And I had to get to work. And I was angry. And all along the way, the Father was reminding me how He forgave us, so should we, too, forgive others. He also reminded me about the situation with my shoe. I was not to complain about it; I was to forgive. The damage to my bumper was small. In time, I can have it repaired. Meanwhile, I can assert my right to a seven-fold return for what was stolen from me (Proverbs 6:30,31). Still, anger ad annoyance wanted to rear their ugly heads to declare what was rightfully mine! I wanted to tell everyone! And all the while, the word "forgiveness" kept popping up in my spirit.
I don't know why he left. It doesn't matter. The question is, "Am I going to do what the Bible says?" Do I believe what I have been taught? Am I willing to let this go for the sake of the love of the Father for that man that just drove away?
Forgiveness is not easy... ever. Still, if you will allow the Lord to soften your heart to the people around you, you may find it much easier. When you let go of your own human selfishness and focus on the fact that Jesus died for them just as much as He did for you, then it becomes easier. We tend to think of every situation (good or bad) in terms of "us". How will it affect me? How does this make me feel? I am angry. I am hurt. But what about them? How will it affect them? How does it make them feel? Are they angry? Are they hurt? Unfortunately, those questions are rarely asked.
But today, the Father made me ask them. Even as I wrote this, I though of that man. He was probably scared (especially if he didn't have insurance). He could have ben angry because I didn't get out of the car right away. No matter what he was feeling, the situation today will affect him.
I choose to forgive. My Father forgave me. Jesus forgave me. I own nothing more than to love (Romans 13:8)... and that includes forgiveness."
AND THAT INCLUDES THE PERSON THAT STOLE MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER THE FOLLOWING WEEK!
This week: think about the bitterness and resentment you may be holding against someone. Ask the questions... and love them... forgive them.
Micale
Comments
Post a Comment