R3: radical, revolutionary, different

There’s something about driving in a car that brings out the best in us.  And by best I mean homicidal rage. 

Following God is more than an hour commitment on Sunday or a visit to an orphanage.  It’s about the way we live our lives.  This means that God has something to say about all aspects of our life.  And driving is no exception.  So I decided to follow through with some good old fashioned Biblical advice and love my enemies. 

Kind of radical, I know.  But it was hard to follow through on that.  How could I love someone when they were so clearly a moron?  Didn’t God see the fact this guy didn’t use his turn signal?!  Didn’t God know that parking space was mine?! 

Of course God did. 

But none of that excuses me for getting angry.  And I knew I had to act.   

The solution: drive-by prayers.  Whenever someone cuts me off in traffic I take a deep breath and ask God to do something for that person.  I don’t ask for wishy-washy “God please bless this person.”  (Although there’s probably nothing wrong with that prayer.)  But I prefer to spend some time and actively think of something specific to pray about.  Maybe it’s good health, no car troubles, or just having a great day.  I want what I pray for to have a real impact on their lives.  I want them to know God’s greatness through that act.  I try to focus on the other person, and in a small way, love them. 

It’s not easy.  Especially for those people who literally put your life in danger.  Sometimes all I can do is ask God that the person ahead of me (or behind me) realizes that they are risking the lives of other drivers. 

The one thing I include in all of these drive-by prayers is that whenever God acts on that prayer, they realize it comes from Him.  In the end I have no idea if these prayers make a difference with these drivers.  I’ll never see them again.  But they impact me.  They force me to think of others before myself, even when I don’t want to.  They put me in a service mindset. 

Like I said, this isn’t always easy.  But being a Christian isn’t about doing things that are easy.  It’s about living in a way that shows people we’re different.  And that there’s something more to life than getting to soccer practice on time or meeting friends promptly at 5:00 for dinner.