Q - Need an attitude adjustment?

A - A resounding YES!

I needed to run up to the big city today. As long as I was there, I decided to go ahead and fill my gas tank at Sam's. As usual, there was a line. I had to make a left turn out of the parking lot into the gas station area. The end of the line was at the edge of that lot, so I flipped on my turn signal and waited. Being a thoughtful driver, I made sure I didn't block the opposite lane, in case someone was leaving that way. Someone did. After a few minutes, another car came around from the other direction and... oh... no... she... didn't! Of all the nerve! She SAW me sitting here, with several cars behind me, and squeezed into MY SPACE...

Well, I was not amused! I mumbled and glared at the back of that car, willing the driver to look in her mirror so I could scowl at her. Then I thought, oh, so what? It's not like she sideswiped me and ran me into a ditch. And if she hadn't rudely butted in out of turn, I probably would have waved at her to go on ahead of me, anyway. But I was incensed, filled with righteous indignation because of her arrogant attitude of entitlement. In the grand scheme of life, what did it matter? It only lost me about 30 seconds. But I was still feeling a bit resentful. As if justice had not been served. She was WRONG, by golly, and needed to at least show some repentance.

Inside my head, the two concepts were quietly battling it out. The desire for justice and the need for mercy. It's always been easy for me to turn the other cheek. It just seems to be my nature. So why on earth do I get so bent out of shape with a stranger?

I really want to be the kind of person I appear to be. (Well, to everyone but poor DS and Duller whenever they happen to be with me at such times.) And, for the most part, I am. But every now and then, a little nasty rears its ugly head. I'm always ashamed of myself afterward. And I immediately ask God to forgive me and change me. Reckon it's about time I let Him?

In Christ Alone,