Lord Have Mercy on Them...and Me, Too

A friend of mine has a part-time job at a driver's training school. He not only helps young people learn to drive, but also conducts classes for experienced drivers who want to take a course to keep their insurance rate lower.

At the beginning of his classes he plays a fun game with his students -- getting them to share the most annoying things other drivers do. You can probably name your own. I hate it when I'm behind someone who is driving really slowly, who then start to turn right into a driveway or another street and take forever turning.
Or how about when you're at an intersection, with your turn signal on, waiting for the oncoming car to pass you so you can turn left and then they turn right on that same street -- and they didn't have their signal on! I find myself too often talking (maybe even yelling?) to other drivers like this, sharing with them how annoyed I am with their insensitivity.

And then I find myself doing some knucklehead thing on the road, get honked at by a driver who is mad at me, and I say, "I'm sorry." I need mercy from other drivers, just like they need grace and mercy from me.

Lately I've been fuming over a couple of injustices. Some people I know are doing things that I believe are not right and yet are getting away with it. Yesterday I was upset about something going on with a person in a land far, far away from here. And I found myself obssesing over this. Finally, I prayed and asked the Lord to fight this battle for me, turning this matter over to Him.

I can get so upset and annoyed at other people's sins...and feel so self-righteous. And yet too often I am overlooking my own sins. I think about people who may spend a lot of time doing other things at their work besides the job assigned to them and get upset. But then I find myself reading e-mail or surfing the web for minutes on end in areas that have nothing to do with my work. Ouch. Mr. Hypocrite!

As Jesus tells us, let's take the big plank out of our own eye before removing the speck from the eye of another. It's so easy to see the flaws and sins of others, and to feel so justified in criticizing them and wanting them to get justice. And yet when I realize that I live under the mercy of Jesus and that He continues to forgive me for my sins, I need to pray for others rather than being os harsh with them.

And my Master calls me to forgive them, just as He asked the Father to forgive those who put Him on that cross.

And so, Lord, for all those we know that we feel are not doing right, would you open their eyes and help them see their sinful ways so that they would turn to you in repentance and seek Your forgiveness. Have mercy on them, Lord. And please have mercy on us, too. And realize that we need Your mercy and grace just as much as they do. In name of Jesus we pray, and Amen.