Has this ever happened to you? You’re driving along in traffic and the 2 lane highway is merging into 1 lane. Traffic flows together but then someone decides to make a race out it…They fly past other cars (yes, illegally), trying to get as much in front of the rest of the traffic as they can. The lane starts to end and they are relentless, even to the point of running the other traffic off the road. It’s not their right of way, it’s the other cars-no matter. They want to be first, in front of other cars and they will do what they have to be in front, despite the legality, courteous driving or safety they disregard.

This sad display happened again last night while driving home. We watched in disgust as a minivan was persistent in racing the other traffic. They behaved as massive jerks! The kicker? We were horribly embarrassed to see a Christian bumper sticker and cross proudly displayed on their bumper. YIKES.

I know, this is a usual event in everyday traffic. Rude drivers with self-focus wins over safety-much less courteous driving. But seeing the Christian bumper strips on the rude driver was the smack in the face. WOW…and we wonder why or how believers can get such bad stereotypes assigned to them.

You may think this is no big deal. Why am I writing and whining about such a trivial thing as yet another jerk driver?

Well…I think this does matter. We who profess to be followers of Christ are supposed to be different. Different than the rest of the world. Different in how we behave—to each other and to everyone.

We can’t get caught up in the idea of our behavior only matters with church related activities. Or how we ‘really’ feel in our hearts is all that matters and our treatment of others isn’t a big deal.

• What about when your nonbeliever friend makes a substantial donation to a church but no one even offers a ‘thank you’

• A brand new believer is nervous about being around ‘church’ people but gathers the nerve to enter a new bible study group only to have plastic smiles- they sit alone wondering why they are bothering at all

• You’re busy, you’re distracted and you have a zillion things to do. You rush thru your days and never realize the people in your path that you mowed over, ignored and all that they longed for was a kind word and smile from a stranger.

• We lift our hands in praise and voices in song but don’t lift a finger to be polite to someone

I’m not trying to make anyone feel guity. We’re all guity of something like this at some time. I know I’ve done things I’m definitely not proud of…and that’s just the instances I’m aware of! Hopefully just awareness, something to make us have a half second of thinking again about our actions, may make the difference to someone. Are we really doing anything different than our nonbelieving counterparts if we’re just as rude in traffic, rude in the grocery store, ignore the needs around us?

I guess the biggest shock (and I have no idea why this would shock me) is the treatment some have towards other believers. The bible tells us to lift one another up. We look for other sisters or brothers in Christ then treat them like something on the bottom of our shoes. What has happened to us? We’ve become numb it seems.

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“I have to get to the next thing on my list & don’t’ have time to say hi to that other mom. She’s annoying anyhow’
BUZZ…ZAP!

Rushing through a store to make it to the next appointment, we run off without a smile or thanking the clerk.

BUZZ ZAP!

Nothing earth shattering, I know. But the basic manners of saying hello, offering a smile, being POLITE, saying thank you…these things are a basic ‘must to’ for many of us but its shocking to see how little its displayed.

So…just a reminder fellow traveler… do a quick check of yourself…if your mother & Jesus were standing next to you, would you behave/speak this way? Just a little check!

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Romans 12:16
Philippians 2:5
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus
Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

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