Post by melinky on Jun 5, 2005 20:51:02 GMT -5
One day as I was driving home from work I had a very disturbing experience. I had come upon an intersection where the light was red and while I waited for it to change I began fiddling with my cell phone. As I sat waiting for the light to change I became aware of voices raised in anger. When I looked up I saw the driver of the car in front of me yelling obscenities at the woman in the car next to him. I have no idea what she had done, but she had obviously incurred his wrath. As the woman began to inch her car forward in a vain attempt to diffuse the situation, the man took the opportunity to get out of his car. He then began yelling more obscenities through her open window, which she immediately began to close.
Meanwhile, I looked on in horror, wondering if I should use the cell phone in my hand to call the police. I knew the light would change at any moment, so I simply prayed for God to take the anger from the man so he would simply drive away. Well, I can’t say that he simply drove away, but he did get back in his car, still cursing the woman who now was driving away as the light had turned green.
I breathed a sigh of relief and after he drove off, I proceeded through the light hoping that this would be the end of this incident and thanking God for diffusing the situation. Fortunately, the man passed through the intersection and turned into a What-A-Burger.
I had a lot to think about on my drive home, trying to figure out how such an event comes about. For example what in the world made this man think that his behavior was acceptable? What kind of pain had he suffered to make him so volatile? Why did the three people in his car do absolutely nothing to try to calm him down? And the big question, what would I have done if the man had stepped out of his car with a gun?
It angers me that society has evolved, if that’s what one would call it, into such intolerance. A thought that crossed my mind as I watched this man ranting and raving was that he was thoroughly under the control of Satan. This realization also made me sad that he had apparently rejected the unconditional love of our Lord for the anger and dissatisfaction offered by the dark one.
The role of the entertainment industry in such behavior also crossed my mind. Movies and music are crammed full of admonitions not to take “crap” off of anyone. They are also full of examples of taking what you want through violence rather than through peaceable, respectful negotiation.
I find myself saddened that our society has become one where not only is it acceptable to demand respect through disrespectful behavior, it has also become thought of as commendable. Since when does a man screaming obscenities deserve respect? That was what he was looking for wasn’t it? In my mind, I can hear the three who were sitting in his car saying, “you showed her!” “man, she had it comin’!” “that’ll teach the b----!” To me, this attitude makes a horrifying statement about our world as it exists. It screams to me that Satan is in control of so much more than I would like to believe.
One thing that I can say without doubt is that it is becoming increasingly easy to strive not to be a part of this world, but to look instead toward our world as it will be when our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, reigns.
My friend, Matthew introduced me to this one word that sums up my feelings, "Maranatha!" Or, "Our Lord comes!" Until that day, I pray that the call of our Lord will pull those under the spell of Satan, including the angry man on the street, to the Light that is Jesus Christ.
Meanwhile, I looked on in horror, wondering if I should use the cell phone in my hand to call the police. I knew the light would change at any moment, so I simply prayed for God to take the anger from the man so he would simply drive away. Well, I can’t say that he simply drove away, but he did get back in his car, still cursing the woman who now was driving away as the light had turned green.
I breathed a sigh of relief and after he drove off, I proceeded through the light hoping that this would be the end of this incident and thanking God for diffusing the situation. Fortunately, the man passed through the intersection and turned into a What-A-Burger.
I had a lot to think about on my drive home, trying to figure out how such an event comes about. For example what in the world made this man think that his behavior was acceptable? What kind of pain had he suffered to make him so volatile? Why did the three people in his car do absolutely nothing to try to calm him down? And the big question, what would I have done if the man had stepped out of his car with a gun?
It angers me that society has evolved, if that’s what one would call it, into such intolerance. A thought that crossed my mind as I watched this man ranting and raving was that he was thoroughly under the control of Satan. This realization also made me sad that he had apparently rejected the unconditional love of our Lord for the anger and dissatisfaction offered by the dark one.
The role of the entertainment industry in such behavior also crossed my mind. Movies and music are crammed full of admonitions not to take “crap” off of anyone. They are also full of examples of taking what you want through violence rather than through peaceable, respectful negotiation.
I find myself saddened that our society has become one where not only is it acceptable to demand respect through disrespectful behavior, it has also become thought of as commendable. Since when does a man screaming obscenities deserve respect? That was what he was looking for wasn’t it? In my mind, I can hear the three who were sitting in his car saying, “you showed her!” “man, she had it comin’!” “that’ll teach the b----!” To me, this attitude makes a horrifying statement about our world as it exists. It screams to me that Satan is in control of so much more than I would like to believe.
One thing that I can say without doubt is that it is becoming increasingly easy to strive not to be a part of this world, but to look instead toward our world as it will be when our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, reigns.
My friend, Matthew introduced me to this one word that sums up my feelings, "Maranatha!" Or, "Our Lord comes!" Until that day, I pray that the call of our Lord will pull those under the spell of Satan, including the angry man on the street, to the Light that is Jesus Christ.