What's Your Hurry?

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,

gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12

 

I was driving home today from an afternoon of banking and errands, driving in the fast lane of the parkway that is my most direct route home.  The speed limit had just increased to 60 mph (a speed most of us had been doing long before it changed), when we became backed up behind a driver in a little blue Kia Rio, going the speed limit in the fast lane (heaven forbid!).  I pulled into the middle lane, and gradually increased my speed to 65 (only 5 over!). 

I happened to notice in my rear view mirror a large silver car flying down the fast lane behind the Kia.  When the driver realized that there was a slowdown, she looked for the tiniest sliver of space to cram her car into in order to move over.  No such space existed.  She then moved up so that the front bumper of her Chevy Malibu was about two feet behind the back bumper of the Kia, and just sat there.  When that intimidation tactic didn't have the desire effect, she began to lay on the horn.  The lady in the Rio finally increased her speed so that she could pull into the middle lane, and the woman in the Malibu tore off down the road, quickly leaving the rest of us behind.

 

What in the world happens to human beings when they get behind the wheel of an automobile?  Where does the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience go when we have our hands on a steering wheel?  What was so urgent for Ms. Get-Out-Of-My-Way-Now that would cause her to drive so rudely and so dangerously?  The experience certainly brought me up short - reminding me that every other driver on the road is just as precious to God as I am.  He expects me to love them the way I love myself ALL the time - including the times when I am driving.