I cannot help at this moment to add yet another experience as a driver in Boston. I think this illustration is perfect in this context. As I was driving the other day along the Revere Beach. There was a ton of traffic after a long day of work I just wanted to go home. There was a large vehicle in front of me and another large vehicle to my left and the beach to my right. As a result, I could not see the entire cross walk I was passing at about 10-15mph. There was a man trying to walk across with his beach chair that I was not able to see. He started running after me and screaming waving the lawn chair he was carrying in the air. To my dismay, I was not able to move very far as I was stuck in traffic. I watched in my rear-view mirror as this man kept approaching and getting closer to me, mean while he was still flailing the lawn chair in the air making motions that he would hit my car with it, not to mention he was screaming he would do it. In that moment, I did the only thing I could which was grab my phone and ready myself to call 911 and brace for impact as there was nothing I could do and nowhere I could go. I am thankful to report I did not have to call the police and he finally went his own way. But this experience left me wondering, what in the world would make someone go off the handle over something so small? The funny thing was, I never actually got truly close to him. Not to mention behaving in a public place this way. You cannot imagine the onlookers watching this scene unfold. I could not make this up if I wanted to!! My goodness, nothing was intentionally done to this man however, he freaked out and in a pretty BIG way. I get we all get frustrated every now and then, but take a deep breath and you will get yourself a nice spot on that beach - I promise - it's not going anywhere! I think I will coin a new term #LawnChairGuy! He will forever live rent free in my mind. :)
How have we (as a collective people) lost touch with so much? Where has our humanity gone? Where we replace kindness with entitlement and lack of empathy. When we place so much emphasis on ourselves, we elevate our own wishes and desires above everything and everyone else. We want what we want, we want it now and that is that. I would venture to ask; do you guys think he was a genuinely a happy guy overall? I will submit to you, from my perspective that is clearly a no for me. Do you think many people want to be around someone who behaves like that? I certainly did not want to meet him on the beach or sit down and have a friendly chat. Actually, if I wasn't afraid of him- it may have made for a more interesting story. It would have been nice to know what was going on in his mind in those moments ---it will forever be a mystery!
The way you and I treat people, is a reflection of your own heart. What spills out of you into the world around is your behavior. Your behavior is dictated by your heart. There is a definite link between the two. You and I live in a culture that has removed the spiritual meaning and God from our lives. It has left so many feeling hopeless, without purpose, belonging and identity. If there was ever a generation so lost it's the one we have now. So many are looking for meaning and purpose to their life and they are being told there is none; we are here by accident. (this post goes along nice with my previous post Battle for the Soul)
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.”
Proverbs 4:23-27 NIV
The way your treat others is the wellspring of your own heart! It’s a direct reflection of what’s happening inside of you. In the verse above, God gave us clear instructions on how we can live a successful life and not to be ensnared into the traps the enemy sets for us. When you are faced with a situation where you feel like you may lose your cool, remember the #LawnChairGuy. In this moment, think to yourself: Is it me that needs a check in with my heart because I may be the thing in that moment that needs to change and not the other person.
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Luke 6:45 NIV
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