I had to drop someone off at the airport. On the way there I saw the N2 was quite congested and decided to take the Stellenbosch Arterial instead. The traffic ran fluently through a few suburbs, but then it also came to a stop. 

I turned up the music, but the many taxis whizzing by on the left shoulder started to turn up my blood temperature. Eventually, I turned up the air conditioner and concentrated on the rhythm of the drums blasting from the speakers. 

After a very long time, I arrived at the traffic lights and could then see what was causing the problem! The taxis that happened to pass on the left shoulder, wanted to turn right at the traffic lights. That road was also blocked, and the taxis couldn’t turn in. Which meant that they were blocking all the lanes going straight across, the lanes I would have to use to drive straight through the traffic light.  

Somewhere something in me exploded.  

The light was still red for me when a taxi driver tried to squeeze in front of me from the left. I shot forward quickly and blocked his path. He wanted to say something, but I suspect he could read lips and, therefore, waited meekly to push in front of the next guy instead. 

The rest of the way I reflected on my actions, and the further I drove, the more embarrassed I became. “And you’re the guy who tells others what the Bible says, but now you’ve failed a test or two!” I told myself. 

Yes, I had to hang my head in shame. I lost this one 6-0. I realised once again that it’s not so easy to speak the Bible’s language in the world. Life happens and then you follow your own footsteps, and they don’t always lead you down the right path. 

It takes energy to follow in Jesus’ footsteps in every situation. It takes training and practice. It takes falling and getting up again and again. After you’ve lowered your head in shame again, you must go back to the drawing board to see how you should do it differently next time. 

The first rule on the drawing board is: 8Be agreeable, be sympathetic. The second is: … be loving, be compassionate …, which is followed by the last one: be humble. 

Love was not visible; I cared for the other person even less; and for sure I only thought of myself. Actually, everything being the opposite of what I thought was part of my way of living in the world. 

I realised once again that the blow we got from the sin during The Fall is fixed deeper in us than we think. Here in front of the drawing board, I realise that I will have to go about things quite differently to always make these qualities part of my life. 

I must realise there always will be situations in my life that are out of my control. It’s like my default pulls me in the opposite direction. 

I will then sniff out the situations where I know I’m not doing well, putting me on guard. I will have to ask the Holy Spirit to help because I’m not going to make it on my own.  

Scripture
1 Peter 3:8-12

Reflection
Where do you lose patience?
Where do you struggle to love?
What can you do differently to live love everywhere? 

Prayer
Father, I must confess that I sometimes act at the expense of others. I struggle to live love everywhere. Please forgive me and help me to do better. I ask this in Jesus’ Name. Amen.