Commuting my daughters to school can be time consuming and nerve-wracking and as a Christian it can be a real struggle to keep Matthew 5:21-22 in mind. It is so easy to call the person who cuts me off an idiot or the person who pulls in front of me and the puts on his breaks a moron. Sometimes even worse names come to mind. Is it so bad calling these people names since they can’t hear me.? But unfortunately my daughters can. Even if I say it in my head only, it becomes a habit for me and eventually I will say it out loud.

I noticed that when I don’t control my thoughts and speech while driving, I will be quicker to call family and friends idiots (at least in my head though occasionally to their face). So, I have to learn to control my desire to verbalize my frustration but it is sooooo hard, as many of you must know. People drive like nuts here and they are constantly trying to cut you off. It is impossible to drive like a Christian or to act like a Christian when you are driving. What does it even mean to drive in a Christian manner (HWJD — how would Jesus drive)?
So how do I live like Christ in this situation? How do I love the fool who is trying to get in front of me after I have been sitting at the light for the last 10 minutes. How can I show the love of Christ and be forgiving to the person who crossed into my lane, puts on his brakes and then makes me miss the light that he just went through. I tried to do it one day after I almost got hit playing chicken with some lovely person who cut me off. I thought that I should try to calm down and be more loving. This is what it sounded like (you have to read this using the Good Witch of the North voice (from the “Wizard of Oz”) — this is actually how I sounded when I said it):
“Oh no, I don’t mind if you cut in after I have been waiting so long!”
“Thank you so very much for making me miss the light, you lovely person you.”
“Aren’t you so sweet pulling into my lane and putting on your brake, I love you so much.”
“Mommy, what are you doing?” Sarah asks.
“I am trying to love my enemies” I reply.
“That is so weird!”
Of course it doesn’t last long and it was sarcastic anyway since I really didn’t love them. How do you love those who are unlovable and selfish? Maybe I should ask God how He could love me and then I can learn to love them.