Psalm 38
Has God ever shot your heart with the conviction of sin? Psalm 38:2 says "For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down upon me." I experienced this piercing of my heart at the Bennett Library a few years ago. I was enjoying a nice sunny winter day as I drove up to the outdoor book return. But then things started going south. An elderly man was driving in the wrong direction through the drop-off zone. As my car approached his, I waved to inform him he was going the wrong way. I expected him to pull to the side and let me pass, but not this fellow. He started moving his car towards mine and didn't stop until he tapped my front bumper. I found this amusing since I was driving a 1996 Honda Accord and he was driving a brand-new Lexus. Quickly my amusement morphed into righteous indignation. I rolled down my window and started to shout godly wisdom to him with my booming pastoral voice (one of the benefits of being a pastor). But at the end of a brilliant assessment of the situation, he wasn't budging. That is when I decided to move to military alert DEFCON level one, the horn. Unfortunately, the horn of a '96 Accord sounds more like a kazoo. After about 20 seconds of the kazoo horn, I realized I wasn't advancing my cause. So I backed up my car, parked and started walking into the library.
In the meantime, another car took my spot in the show down. On my way into the library I had to pass the vile offender's car. As I did, I knocked on his window and told him he was a menace to public safety, and that he should seriously think about permanently parking his vehicle. There! Finally justice had been achieved! The guilty party was punished with shame. The moral balance of the universe had been restored.
Funny thing was, as I left the library, I had a heavy heart about my behavior. I had been placed in a test by the Lord and my heart was telling me I hadn't gotten a good grade. About an hour later, as I was reflecting on the situation, I heard the Lord whisper in my conscience, "Scott, that was your father." This man and my dad were both about the same age. Both were obviously dealing with declining skills. But would I want someone like me to yell at my dad when he made a mistake? The truth is, this man needed kindness and assistance, not a judge and jury. He needed someone to help him navigate a mistake. What I should have done was gotten out of my car and helped him exit the parking lot.
Sometimes we learn more about life in our failures than in our successes. Thank God for his piercing arrows that guide us through life. I am looking for a second chance to show grace and kindness to the world around me.
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