Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Spiritual Road Rage

Over a year ago, I wrote about Private Road Rage... a purely sarcastic paragraph where I described "Private Road Rage" as "displaying a Godly face and a serene smile, and nodding kindly with a smile on my face to the person trying to cut me off, but inside... I'm privately raging, just displaying it with manners." Real spiritual, huh?

Well, I have a new level of Road Rage to share with you ... it's called ... Spiritual Road Rage. It's where the enemy is purposely trying to tick you off by sending people your way to cut you off, swerve or veer into you, yell and scream at you, flip you off, all while talking on the phone, all with the sole purpose of getting you upset past the point of self control and cause an un-Godly reaction to burst forth. It really is spiritual warfare.

Living near a city like Washington, D.C. can make your state well known for their traffic issues. Bumper to bumper rush hours, crazy drivers, ANGRY drivers, drivers that have a sense of "road ownership" and feel that they are entitled to drive like crazy maniacs (and you should BACK OFF, dude) are not uncommon!

And then ... there's a whole other level of crazy drivers ... the Kawasaki race rats. Oh, MY STARS! They really bother me! They veer in, veer out, veer in, veer out. They drive in between lanes, and change lanes in the emergency lane. They perform stunts ... they almost mock you as they veer back and forth ... and that's the truth. GAH! It's just about enough to get my blood pressure boiling.

Living in this area really tests a persons limits of self control, Godly love, and forgiveness. Driving on these main highways brings on a whole new level of spiritual warfare into play, and really stretches your discipline with regards to following two scripture verses: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..." (Matthew 7:12a) and "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 26:39b). Trust me when I say ... there are many things I'd like to do to a crazy driver, and one of them is not to love them like myself. Uh-uh.

Last week, I was cut off by a young woman (nineteen to 20 years old), who was busy dialing on her cell phone, and then chatting away. She was most certainly NOT paying attention. We were both turning left. There were two left turn lanes. She was in the far left, and I was in the right one. When we turned, she veered right into my turning lane without even looking. I couldn't go anywhere, because there was a car to my right. So, I laid on the horn, and when she looked up at me, she yelled at me and gave me the finger. A sight we see often in these parts.

And it was right then ... right there ... that it became very clear to me that I had to come up with a new way to release all my pent-up anger. I decided I would no longer practice "Private Road Rage" ... no, indeed. I found that when I yelled the following out loud in my car (to no one in general), I felt so much better! Right when she flipped me the bird, and went off in her "entitled" merry way, I yelled out: "LADY! YOU are TRYING to make me LOOSE MY SALVATION, but it's NOT GONNA HAPPEN TODAY, because JESUS LOVES YOU, and THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME, so I'M GONNA LOVE YOU TOO. Now, MOVE ALONG."

I tell you ... the release I felt was ever so freeing!

20 comments:

Heather Smith said...

I will definitely have to try this! Greensboro is no DC, but let me tell you there are plenty of drivers that try to make you lose your salvation around here!!

Kathy said...

My kids are old enough now to sit up front with me and I use the opportunity to point out both courteous and rude drivers. We discuss what they did right or wrong and how my kids should drive when that time comes. We also take the opportunity to pray for those who clearly need more instruction and a lesson in patience, and we rejoice when we are able to see them get stopped at a light that turned yellow while we were in the intersection and turned red for them.

tammi said...

I think people everywhere have road rage issues. I noticed it so much again this past week, while I was visiting family in the city. We live 6 hours away, in the middle of nowhere, where it's perfectly normal to cruise along at crop-checking speed at any time, any day of the week, but in the city... You literally get intimidated into being a bad driver.

I will have to try shouting scripture or something -- maybe start memorizing Bible verses for such occasions!! My girls are getting a little too old for me to even use tame words like moron and spaz.

Jennifer said...

That's a good solution! We definitely have our traffic issues, too. Thankfully, I don't have to deal with most of it on a daily basis, but it's enough to get your blood pressure up for sure! It's just too bad the people won't know what you're saying. :-)

Emily Dykstra said...

Kisses of Sunshine-

I found this site through your fertility site.

I like your take on road rage. I used to live in DC and can vouch that you're right on track. I laughed thinking about someone YELLING those loving words. Hey, if it works for you.

If you get a chance, I sent you an email about my fertility issues and would be grateful if you'd have the time to check it out.

Emily

Shalee said...

Well at least you came to this mature decision on your own. You didn't have to have an 11 year old in your backseat telling YOU to let it go...

Good for you, GiBee for getting there much quicker than I did.

Patriot said...

Hi! I came across your blog tonight, and noticed your entry about toys made in China. I too share this frustration.

My blog is completely dedicated to finding American made, high quality products of all sorts. If you have any favorite American-made products or would like to read about some that I've found please stop by - and tell your friends! I don't get any money or anything from this - I just honestly want more jobs to stay in America and safe, quality products for consumers!

Thank you!!!

Anonymous said...

Having grown up in the Northern Virginia area I can so relate to what you are saying.

Now I live in Utah and deal with the drivers from California that have never driven in snow and ice...and don't care to learn. yikes!

But I must say that you have handled the situation much better than I have. I'll have to try this!

Sandy said...

Hey Gi Bee --
Jesus wasn't always nice. I think sometimes we think he was always kind and turned the other cheek, but not in all situations!
But I hear what you are saying.
Come on over and WIN a great book! Oh, that's right, you're alreayd reading it!!! :) He He.
Sandy :)

Ms. Kathleen said...

I just had to laugh! Oh my goodness! You just spit right in Satan eye! ha! I love it. I have been in DC MANY times as two of my kids and sister lived there and I LOVE the city. I do but it is taxi's or walking for me...or the metro, they have a nice metro there.

Love it!

Stacey said...

How funny! I'm am going to try that for sure. What a great way to remind yourself about what God says!

rohanknitter said...

Ha! That's pretty funny - but I can relate. Almost every time the kids and I are out and about and someone does something rude/unsafe and I comment on it, the boys will look over and tell me that the person is on their cell phone.
That's what has me worried about my oldest learning to drive this year - not him, all those other drivers out there!

Overwhelmed! said...

Great advice! I wished I would've thought of this when I lived in Atlanta and was experiencing "private road rage" on a daily basis!

I used to call one of my friends in another state to chat with him on the phone while I was stuck in traffic. Talking on the phone kept me sane. :)

Jane Anne said...

What a great (and funny thing) to yell! I am not really a vocal driver but I have friends that are. It is a good way to handle your frustration- to try to turn it into a positive comment. Plus, your little one will only hear positive words (even if they are in a raised voice)!

Anonymous said...

I had an older fellow cut across my lane (he was in the center) to turn into the post office. I was going to the post office too, so I had already slowed down thank goodness, but I did have to hit my brakes hard. He then proceeded to flip me off. The kids (9 and 10) were witness to this and I did a bizarre thing. I BLEW THE OLD GEEZER A KISS. Then I thought he was going to drive right over the curb into the post office boxes!

My 9 year old said "Mom, we're lucky if he doesn't shoot at us".

Maybe he'll think next time. Or not...LOL

Anonymous said...

In my place of the world, you could be fined or jailed if you honk your horn to a driver cutting you. (The horn, the logic goes, is only for emergencies).


Have a great weekend.

Mike
http://somethingaboutparenting.typepad.com/

Anonymous said...

thank you for the lesson. I nearly "lose my salvation" every time I drive. Not something I like admitting. I will work on it and think of you! :-)

Pam

C. H. Green said...

Just to let you know I have linked to you with the Nice Matters Award...If you have already received this award, then pass it on and consider yourself doubly blessed. Love your posts!

Stacey said...

Just wanted you to know that your posts are missed. Life must be busy right now...well, when you're a mother, it always is huh?

Hope to read more soon.

A Captured Reflection said...

Oh yes, I know about all that crazy driving, really tests you! I love what you replied with. Awesome