Objects of Love
June 20th, 2010
“Did you SEE that guy?!” This is what I shout at the other commuters as I trek between Murfreesboro and Nashville. Road rage is so prevalent everywhere I go! Granted, I have been very guilty of this myself, but I have seen some people do things out of anger that I would NEVER do with my car.
One of the worst instances I’ve had was indeed my fault but no big deal. I started to come over on someone by accident, but I quickly swerved back. We were coming up to a red light and slowing down, and I caught my mistake before it was too late so no harm was done. However, the white Suburban loaded with Vietnam veteran stickers thought it to be a more serious offense. He sped up, cut me off, and while at the red light, adjusted his side mirror to show me his pistol (this was in downtown Nashville). Then, he proceeded to stare me down, follow me, and get behind me again to ride my bumper. My finger was hovering over the “Call” button with 911 loaded in the call window the whole time. Anybody breaking out a pistol because of a driving error needs to chill out!
David Young, Teaching Minister at North Boulevard in Murfreesboro, TN, says that you should give these people the sign language symbol for “I love you” and continue on your way. However, Bear Grylls says you should just ignore them completely. Whatever the best tactic is for dealing with road rage, it doesn’t change the fact that I see the rage on nearly a daily basis.
What are we so angry about? I don’t think there’s an easy answer to it. I know a Russian missionary who says that Russia is the most depressed country he’s ever been in, and many studies have linked that opinion to a lack of religion. But I know a lot of angry Christians too. John Eldridge, author of “Wild At Heart”, would probably link this anger to the suppression of manhood and the Christian teaching of “turning the other cheek” (you know… the thing Jesus said). Eldridge could be onto something there, but it doesn’t explain the road raging females (unless they’re angry about their wimpy/irresponsible husbands).
Of course, you will encounter the one who just got fired, or just had a fight with his or her spouse, etc. But that’s not everyone. Is it our depression? Is it our selfishness? Is it our lack of religion? Where is the anger coming from?!
Why is my appointment more important than the slow poke’s in front of me? Why do I get so incredibly angry at the person who just cut me off? I didn’t wreck so, why am I so upset? Quite frankly, I think we all just need to learn to care a little more about the person we don’t know. It’s easy to get angry when you see the other person as just a chunk of metal in front of you… that makes them an object.
Eureka! We have arrived! So, here we find the crux of the matter! Hello, all you “objects” reading my post. Why not get upset that the object cut you off? Why not let the object remain homeless? Why not let the object starve to death? Why not make fun of he oddly shaped object? Why not make the object wear less clothes? Why not lust after the object?
What if we realized the object was actually being pursued by God’s love? Hello, person.
Y’all’s bro in Christ,
page lynch