It seems that there is an overabundance of anger, angst and strife in and around our world, during these last days that we are living in. You don’t have to look very far to find trouble…it seems to constantly hover in the air and outside our own back door. In fact, it can be downright dangerous to set foot outside the safety and comfort of the oasis of our own home. And sadly, for some of us, home is not that safe, secure or peaceful either.
A prime example of this is the recent double tragedy involving the two hockey players in New Jersey, who sadly lost their young lives to a drunk driver while riding their bicycles, the evening prior to their sister’s wedding. A trail of destruction was left in the midst of this unforeseen and totally avoidable “accident”, leaving the grieving relatives trying to understand “why” and “how” such a horrendous incident could happen to one family, all in one tremendous blow. To add insult to injury, the alleged perpetrator behind the wheel of the SUV seemed totally oblivious to the destruction his actions had caused and was instead more concerned about when he would be released from jail. His selfish and obnoxious behaviour was just unbelievable!
During this past summer, I experienced two incidents of road rage myself, which were most unsettling, but thankfully, did not result in any accident or injury. The first time, I was turning out of the grocery store parking lot, onto the roadway, when I suddenly heard a very loud and persistent horn behind me. When I looked back in the rearview mirror, a very angry young man in a large SUV was gesturing rudely and loudly at me, even though I had no idea what I had done. When I pulled out, there was no traffic in either direction, so I can only surmise that he was travelling very quickly and had to step on his brakes to avoid hitting me, as I was now stopped at a red light. After the light turned green, he continued to follow me, almost sitting on my bumper. One block up the street, he turned into a subdivision, pulling up beside me…he rolled down his window, shouting obscenities at me and giving me the finger. I have been driving since the age of 16 and am a very good driver…I have no idea what his problem was, but he was obviously having a very bad day and wanted to pass it on to me. It was frightening to be threatened like that, and unfortunately, the feeling lasted for the rest of the day.
The second time I encountered an unhappy driver was when I had pulled over in front of my condo, waiting to follow the ambulance that was transporting my husband to the hospital across the street. I wanted to ensure that I was there when he was admitted, so I had put on my hazard lights as I waited for the ambulance to leave. A city employee actually pulled up beside me in her work vehicle and insisted that I could not park there, even though I was not blocking anything, and I was not actually parked. I tried to explain the situation to her (the ambulance was behind me), but she insisted that I leave at once…this young lady showed a complete lack of understanding and empathy regarding my stressful situation, that left me feeling downright awful! She obviously took her job very seriously but was not exercising any common sense or compassion.
The world has always been a dangerous and uncertain entity, ever since Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden. Most thankfully, Jesus Christ turned the world upside down, with his death upon the cross two thousand years ago, and his resurrection from the dead on the third day. He paid the ultimate price for us, so that we did not have to. The battle against evil is already won, but unfortunately, our enemy, the devil, is not quite done with us yet. Satan is alive and well and still at work, wreaking havoc in our lives. The good news is that God always was and still is in control…He still sits on his throne in Heaven and will one day come back for his children. Although we do not always understand the why and the how, we can be reassured that we are not alone in our struggles.
In the book of Ephesians 6:11-18, the apostle Paul tells us to “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Paul is referencing the Roman soldier’s uniform back in Bible times, where part of the outfit included leather sandals made of bound straps. As Christians, we are instructed to wear the sandals of peace…to be a peacemaker in all things and all circumstances. As difficult as this is for most of us, especially when we KNOW that we are in the right on an issue, argument or problem; at home, work, or in our community; God wants us to be the bigger person and try to make things right. Many times, we have to be the first to apologize and forgive. In fact, this is an act of strength and not weakness. Jesus is called the “Prince of Peace”, and in his Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:9, He tells us: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” I cannot think of anything or anyone better to bring healing to our chaotic world right now.
