Life in the Slow Lane

I tend to get a little angry and frustrated from time to time...especially when driving.

Cars go too fast, cars go too slow, they don't give a turn signal, the ride my bumper and I start to get a little perturbed. All of these things that I never do, of course (wink, wink).

For example, I was driving home with my daughter yesterday and the car in front of me was going at a normal speed for a good while and then decided to slow down to a cool 30 mph in a 45 mph zone and slow down to stop about a quarter mile from the stop sign, at least it seemed like that far away.

As any good parent I try to teach my daughters to keep their anger under control. They both have their issues like we all do with your typical angry reactions to daily frustrations, but it's my job to teach them and show them by example of how to not react to a slow car in front of me. Our Father in heaven, teaches us to be "slow to anger." But this was not a teaching moment for me, or a shining parent moment, because I was expressing my frustrations. I don't use foul language or anything, but I was sure gripping. "Why do they have to go so slow?!" "Don't they know the speed limit?" "Why are they slowing down already for the stop sign?!" One gripe after another was flying. But then my daughter says, "Mom, stop being so angry."

Now the tables had turned. The student had become the master, so to speak. My 12 year old daughter echoed the words back to me that I had said to her in the past. She was now the example of love and patience.

This gave me pause, and I had to stop and think is it really worth getting so mad over a car going 15 miles below the speed limit? Of course I want to yell, "YES!" It is frustrating and you want to yell and honk, but I know this is not the best response and in the long run, it's not that big of a deal. Sometimes it just takes a little perspective and self-control. Sometimes we just need to just slow down and ride it out, literally. This is true for any situation that may make us angry.

We are told in James 1:19 to be "slow to anger, for mankind's anger does not bring about the righteousness that God desires." Taking the calm approach not only helps our blood pressure slow down, but it is also what God desires of us and it pleases Him.

We are also offered some other comforting words in the book of Micah. "He has shown you, O mankind, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" God offers a life in the slow lane to walk humbly with him, where love, justice, and mercy are abundant, but we have to make that choice to act accordingly.

Whether it be the physical road or the road of life we just need to slow down and enjoy the ride with the Lord by our side.