Traffic Annoyances

I had a long drive today, to and from my monthly clergy cluster meeting. While in transit, I noticed something that really peeves me: bad drivers...let me clarify, drivers who think where they have to be is more important than where anyone else may need to be.

On three separate occasions today, I saw drivers get into the wrong lane, realize they needed to be somewhere else, and then hold up traffic until the coast was clear for them to get back where they wanted to be...making everyone behind them wait because of their mistake. All of these occasions were in town, at busy intersections, where there are no extra lanes to get around someone and traffic is extra congested (leading to possible accidents when people do stupid things).

Now, you might think I am being ungracious, and perhaps I am. I am just of the mindset that when you make a mistake (i.e. get into the wrong lane), you should not inconvenience others in your attempt to rectify the situation. That would mean, in this particular example of traffic, don't let your car block two to three lanes of traffic while you wait to get into the lane you actually wanted. Proceed in the lane you find yourself in and turn around or take another street in order to get back to where you wanted to be. That would probably take the same amount of time, but it would not inconvenience everyone behind you. If I ruled the world, that would be the law! (but I am by no means applying for THAT job!)

At base, the thing that really bothers me is selfishness: doing what you want to do and not thinking about the people around you or how your actions are affecting them. It probably bothers me because I see selfishness rear its ugly head in my heart from time to time (probably more often than I dare admit), and I hate it. We tend to dislike vehemently in others the things we most dislike in ourselves, or so I've read (and experienced). I want so badly to love and serve Christ by serving and loving others...but there is this ME that gets in the way of that sometimes. This ME demands attention, approval, the right to be right in all things...it's not the prettiest part of this creature that God has called "good". I only confess this openly on my blog because I know I am not alone in the struggle. Jesus says "dying to self" is a necessary part of following Him...not an easy part, but a necessary one. I wish there were a pill you could take to simply make that happen. Instead, it is like a daily wrestling with the disparity between who you are and who you are called to become.

A more selfless person than me would probably be moved to pray for the rude, traffic blocking people, knowing that they are in need of God's grace...instead of just getting annoyed like I did today. Perhaps, next time I see someone doing something incredibly selfish, I will pray that God forgives me for all the selfish things I do without even being aware of it (and for the selfish things I do that I am completely aware of, as well). Oh, to love God and others more perfectly...