Gods Greatness And Compassion

The Rage On The Roads

When I started driving it was not common to hear about road rage. I was taught to let aggressive drivers have their space. These days overly aggressive drivers enter your space as they don’t want to share the space that belongs to all of us. In a recent incident there was plenty of room for me to merge in the left lane, but before getting there the driver blew horn and sped up so as to not let me in. What’s the problem I thought, it’s not like I’m cutting them off. So, I tried again and they sped up so fast that their car was next to mine therefore blocking my ability to change lanes. Once I gave up, they moved to a different lane all together. The window were dark and raised so they couldn’t hear what I said. Thank God for that! Because I’m sure what I said would have escalated their rage. As I thought about this incident some more, I realized how blessed I was that it didn’t escalate into a shooting or intentional accident like many of the incidents we hear about.

And the rage on the road is not limited to cars on the expressways . There is plenty of rage among airline passengers. It’s almost like you’ll be lucky if your plane doesn’t experience some unruly passenger in the middle of the flight. I look at old photos of air travel and shake my head at how once the flying experience was so glamorous and exciting compared to what it is today. Oh how great and peaceful all travel would be if we were all kind to one another like explained in Ephesians 4:32.

Scripture reference:

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Do Not Follow

Pressure can be enormous not to follow the crowd. I remember a work situation where the supervisor gave out specific instructions to the group to go to a certain place off site and do some work there. Along the way, someone in the group decided to deviate from the instructions and do something at a different site that was more personal than job related. Everyone in the group went along not thinking about how they could have easily been fired if supervisor had caught them. Imagine the pressure. If don’t follow, how do you do by yourself a job that’s meant for a group? What if you got caught working alone? Do you tell on the rest of the group? If so, what will rest of group think of you? Do you lie and say they are working or tell the truth that they were goofing off? If you tell that they were goofing off, will they trust you again? Will you be invited to future events? So many questions go into making a decision to follow the crowd or not.

And these tough decisions can come in other situations. Like being in a position with hiring power, and contractual authority. You can get pressure from folk from all over wanting you to give a certain person a job or a certain business a contract even though they aren’t the best qualified. If you don’t do it, you may ruin future business relationships and opportunities.

I think it’s best to ask yourself all theses questions in deciding to follow or not. Consider the scripture in Exodus 23:2 and Romans 12:2. Think about what you will lose. After being the one who usually got busted while others got away; I finally learned later in life not to do something just because others are doing it.

Scripture references:

Exodus 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Sustainment Without Sustenance

I reflect on the beginning of the 2020 pandemic when most recreational events were starting to close and I asked myself how am I going to keep my sanity when the very things that keep me going are no longer in existence? As bad as I thought my situation was, I saw others that had it much worse. Businesses in all industries had to close leaving employees suddenly without jobs. I’m sure it was devastating to think how they were going to sustain their families and housing without any income. When what we are depending on to keep us is gone we ask; how do I sustain something with no sustenance?

I’ve seen so many instances and wonder how was that possible when it wasn’t possible. How you walk through a dangerous neighborhood often and not be attacked? How do you continue to live in a place in spite of not being able to pay rent? Why your body didn’t break down when pharmacy ran out of medicine? Why you don’t feel lonely even though you are alone? And so on. How is sustainment without sustenance possible? Jesus gave us the answer in Mark 10:27, basically what’s not possible with man is possible with God.

And God sustained me in 2020 and beyond. He showed me new ways to relax and clear my mind outside of the typical activities. I saw His other sustenance at work like giving business owners new ways to make sales via delivery apps. The government assisted people with income and rental assistance to sustain their families and so on. My lesson learned was that it wasn’t those activities that were sustaining my mind. It was God’s grace and mercy. He renewed them daily by sustaining me.

Scripture references:

Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Psalms 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.