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I’m Going to Stop This Car!!!
Nothing makes the trip to see the in-laws more enjoyable than having World War III break out in the back seat of the car along the way. Whether it’s “he looked at me,” or “stop touching me,” or “I had it / saw it / licked it first,” or the always popular territorial disputes, something about seat-belted confinement brings out the worst in siblings. My children have done it, just like my brothers and I did when we were younger. Dad’s blood pressure begins to rise in direct proportion to the pitch of the screams, yells and cries coming from his offspring until normally laid-back Dad, unable to bear it any longer, hollers back, “If you don’t start getting along I’m going to stop this car!” Yeah, I’ve been there. Maybe you have too.
Do you ever wonder if God feels the same way when we, even as adults, have our own little squabbles? Surely some of what seems to separate us at times must seem so inconsequential to the Creator of the universe. We may not be fighting over who poked whom, or who took the last Skittle, but we can find some pretty silly reasons to not get along with others in our family, at work, at church or neighbors (“I can’t believe they always park that car so I can hardly get in my driveway!”) Yeah, I’ve been there too.
Paul’s instruction in his letter to the church at Colosse is to get along with each other and forgive. Apparently it’s a common problem because he instructed the Ephesian church in the same way, and it still seems pretty relevant today too. But what about when the offenses aren’t quite so petty; what about when someone tells lies about you, or takes credit for your project at work, or ruins your credit or threatens your child? How do we forgive then? I think the answer is a few verses earlier when Paul exhorts us to “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” (v.2)
Back to the car. A little over a year ago after avoiding the idea of becoming mini-van owners for over a year because we were just way too cool for that, my wife and I broke down and bought a big, glorious white one. On our first family trip in the van an amazing thing happened. There was no fighting; there were no tears. The children’s attention was focused on a movie playing on the little LCD screen above them. I nearly wept as I listened to the…nothing…and realized my wife and I could once again have a long, meaningful, uninterrupted conversation in the car as we rolled down the road (if only she were still awake). When the children in the rear of the vehicle stopped focusing on themselves and their discomfort or displeasure and stopped focusing on each other, they magically started getting along. Even laughing at times.
Maybe we all would do well to keep our focus a little higher—God’s grace, love, compassion, mercy, forgiveness—when we begin to get a little restless with the other passengers with us on this journey to heaven.
Thank you Roger, as the youngest of three, I have vivid memories of being the child in the middle of the back seat of the station wagon. I can remember dodging my dad’s hand, as he reached back with reckless abandon in an attempt to grab one of us trouble makers, while he was still driving.
In reading the main verse again, I am reminded how God’s forgiveness, sounds like a one time deal, but covers a lifetime of offenses. However, my forgiveness is often more reactive in nature, only forgiving after an offense has been felt, and possibly imbelished for a while.
Forgive…it has the ring of “Eternity” in it. No beginning, no end…just forgiven as I was forgave. I must think more on this.
Roger,
…or my personal favorite, “He hit me back first.” Sometimes it made me laugh before I stopped the car. One time my brother and I were fighting in the back and my dad stopped and put us out of the car and drove off. Not very far, still in view, but we were quiet the rest of the way home.
I personally don’t want to have God discipline me for my lousy, unforgiving attitude toward people, especially the people I am supposed to love. If that were not reason enough to always be okay with folks, just being able to laugh, talk, work together, and trust each other without “o-fences” in the way should also motivate me to forgive and be forgiven. Jesus wants fellowship with us without offenses in the way, so He forgives us.
Thanks Roger,
I was a preachers kid too and the station wagon with three boys sharing the seat is very much world war III in the making.
My 5th grade school had desks that sat 3.(Don’t laugh). If you can get that mental picture then considering that there were 48 kids in a class=16 world war III’s!! That’s what I think God has to deal with in churches today.
If we all grasped the forgiveness concept and understood that we are in this together, then forgiving and bearing with each other becomes the logical thing to do.
Easier said than done but we are fortunate because we can tap into the helping power of the holy spirit and the example of Christ our savior.
Seriously…this is good stuff. The analogy is right on. Thank you for your words of wisdom.
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
‘Cause I can’t do this all on my own
I’m letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I’m on
Jesus take the wheel
Jesus Take The Wheel – Carrie Underwood
Roger, thank you for helping us to see the only way we can forgive like God forgives is when we set all of our attention, focus, and desire on Him.
Roger,
Loved the picture you drew in connection with this verse — who can’t relate to this?? Thanks for sharing and giving us both something to laugh and think about today!
I too like the car ride picture. It helps me to think and look at life through God’s eyes. When I take my eyes off being offended and forgive it opens the door to a good relationship with those around me and with God.
Thanks Rog! Great image that brought me back to countless times when my younger sister and I would throw my mom into a fit fighting over senseless things…or that would give rise to my dad’s uncanny ability to stretch his arm all the way to the “way-back” of our station wagon to knock us upside the head. Classic! That really helps shed light on how I can still childishly approach situations/relationships today vs. focusing on forgiveness, grace, mercy, and love…leveraging God’s power. Thanks for the fresh reminder my friend.
Hey Bud,
As always, well written and communicated on a level we could relate to…I will share with many to pass on and learn from