The Wido's Mite: Redux

A Nashville man picks his 10 year old daughter up from school on Friday. He is on his way home when a man in a truck behind him begins to honk and make rude gestures. He is screaming and pointing at something. He is pointing at the "Obama/Biden" bumper sticker on the man's car. It has the man in the truck in an outrage. As the man in the car stops at a stop sign in his neighborhood, he realizes that the man in the truck is going to rear-end him. He tries to re-act, but his car is struck by the man in the truck, who continues to curse and make rude gestures. The man in the truck backs up and does it again and again, terrifying the man and his 10 year old daughter who is now hysterical. Finally the truck driver pulls around and goes on. A Good Samaritan neighbor calls the police and follows the man in the truck. He is pulled over and arrested for drunk driving. Here though, is where it actually gets interesting.......as I was reading the story, I was livid. I was absolutely ready to rip someone apart when I read the rest of the article. The father, after comforting his daughter, has called for civility. He doesn't want people to be too hard on the man who hit him. He wants people to be kind instead. To take this small ugly act, and turn it into a good one. The man in the truck has been through a very tough time. He just lost his wife to cancer, and he was quite intoxicated. After I read that, I did calm down a little. But I also wondered, if it were me in that Dad's shoes, could I be so forgiving? Could I be so kind? I have a 10 year old daughter. if someone terrified her like that, I would be extremely upset. But I don't know if I could be as generous in spirit as that dad was.

I have a right to believe whatever I want. So do my children. So do you. But I do not have a right to behave in a way that is threatening to others. This dad is a fantastic example of a follower of Christ. And I am talking about the "Social Justice" Jesus. I have not been such a good follower as of late. I have been very side-tracked. And here it is, Holy Week. And a simple act of forgiveness by someone I don't know, has rocked my world. I am placing that dad in my heart this week. I am putting his reaction to the ugliness of that scene in front of me, as a challenge to do better. To be better. To remember the sacrifices that were made so long ago, when hate was spewed at a man who was trying so hard to just do good. And whether you believe in Christ or not, his example (not the scary old Leviticus Old-Testamenty stuff) is one of caring for our fellow man. Taking care of each other. My God, it can't be that hard can it?

"What if I find myself in another place? Can't look down at the frown on the other guys face. Gotta funny feelin', that I might be seein' the face of Christ........"

Grateful....again......

A friend (I will not call her old, because that would suggest that we are, in fact, old) gave me an amazing gift today, and made me marvel at the sheer wonder of forgiveness. Her capacity for it. I have been carrying around some things in my heart for a long time. A wrong I did against a girl in the 5th grade. A wrong against a girl in the 6th grade. And this terrible wrong I played a part in 24 years ago when I was too weak to really stand up to someone and was talked into something that caused this particular friend a lot of pain. Well.....she sort of absolved me of it. Said to not let it be in my "top 5" list of shameful things anymore. And I have not been able to stop thinking about it all day. If you read my little blog, you know that I have been in the midst of an ugly struggle with my marriage. Things have been untenable at best in my house. BUT....things have slowly.....and ever so gently begun to turn around. A new job, some big bills paid off, and some very definitive plans have helped. But too....I have to think forgiveness has to come into play. I am not saying I am not being very cautious...........but that little "Balm of Gilead" that was given to me, certainly should be extended to my husband. Or to anyone else I may have harbored or held something in my heart against. That (um duh...) includes myself.

I am not sure of the direction my life may take in the near future. Things are still very tough. Still, I am so grateful for this friend. For her sense of humor. For her complete dedication to her children. For her amazing ability to forgive. Thank you for taking me out of myself, and making me think about how good it feels just to be forgiven. I am gonna really try to pay this one forward. At least for today. Thank you La. You are really a very special lady.