How's your driving?

A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
Proverbs 19:11

Let’s talk about your driving. Better yet, let’s talk about your reaction to other people’s driving.

I have the distinct pleasure of living in a small town north of Austin which is well known as a retirement community. Sun City, a neighborhood for residents over 55 is just down the road from us, so we have learned to practice defensive driving on a regular basis. It is not uncommon to see an elderly driver ma a right turn out of a left-hand lane or a left turn out of the right-hand lane. Some of the elderly drivers in the area have slower reflexes and drive more cautiously, causing great frustration on the part of some of their younger counterparts.

On the other hand, I work at the Capitol in Austin, just adjacent to the University of Texas, so I get to commute with many young students on the freeway. Unlike the more mature members of my home community, many of these young people drive faster, change lanes more unexpectedly, and take risks I would not consider taking. Rather than being oblivious to their surroundings, they tend to have words and gestures to share with anyone who does not drive like they think they should.

What both groups have in common is that they do not drive like I think they should. There was a time in my life when that would have really irritated me. In all honesty, there was a time when I was more like those younger drivers with rude comments about everybody’s driving around me.

Then, one day, I was challenged to control my anger and frustration. It was suggested that instead of spewing suggestions about what the drivers should be doing, I should try blessing them instead. Finally, I grasped the fact that people were not getting up in the morning with the express intention of finding a way to frustrate me. My blood pressure was shooting through the roof while they continued to sing along with the radio, drink their coffee or talk on their phones oblivious to my increasing wrath. I was allowing them to steal my peace while chances were; they didn’t even know they had upset me.

The first “Bless you, you Idiot for, cutting in front of me” was a little sarcastic and difficult to deliver. However, as I developed the habit of saying, “Bless you” each time I was offended I found that I was actually beginning to feel slightly more charitable and a lot less offended. Like most things, repeated often enough, blessing other drivers has become a habit.

Certainly no one reading this would be considered an annoying driver nor a person who responds poorly to others who are perceived to be annoying. But remember, you are young and inexperienced or have been. Or, you are older with slower reflexes or will be. Either way, you have a choice on how to respond to those around you. Proverbs tells us it is our discretion to be slow to anger and it is our glory to overlook a transgression.

So, quit reading this on your Blackberry while driving so the guy behind you can stop complaining about you!

Lord, help us to be slow to anger, patient in all circumstances.