I Got Caught
By David Faust
Do you ever become angry with other drivers? The slow ones get in your way. Speeders jeopardize everyone’s safety. Tailgaters follow too closely. Reckless drivers act like they’re competing in the Indianapolis 500, weaving through traffic to gain a few seconds’ advantage.
When cars rush by at 90 mph, I mutter, “Where are the police?” I want to see justice done. Up ahead, I want to see lights flashing on a patrol car. I want to see offenders pulled over, getting the punishment they deserve. Do you feel the same way?
Making Excuses
But what about the opposite side of the coin? Do you always obey every traffic law (to the letter)? Have you ever surpassed the speed limit because you were late for work . . . or you had to pick up your kids from school . . . or you were distracted by some bad news? Maybe you inadvertently cut off other cars that were in the blind spot of your rearview mirror. Maybe you truly never saw the road sign that says, “Speed Limit 45.” In situations like these, do you hope to see lights flashing on a patrol car, or do you want everyone (including the police) to understand and give you space? When you are the one bending the rules, do you want leniency or justice?
During more than 50 years of driving, I have gotten a few traffic tickets. Not enough to jeopardize my driver’s license or my auto insurance, but enough that I cannot claim a perfect driving record. To be honest, at times I have gotten away with breaking the speed limit and I was relieved when no officer pulled me over. Has that ever happened to you? It’s human nature to feel righteous indignation toward other offenders while excusing our own actions.
Our Shortcomings and God’s ‘Long-Going’
In Romans 1, the apostle Paul lowers the hammer of God’s righteous wrath on Gentile sinners. I picture first-century readers with a Jewish background, saturated in the Scriptures and devoted to God’s law, nodding in vigorous agreement with every phrase. “Yes, that’s right. You tell them, Paul! Those immoral, idol-worshipping Gentiles deserve God’s judgment, that’s for sure.”
Then in Romans 2, Paul pivots toward his Jewish readers and says, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things” (Romans 2:1). Instead of pointing fingers at the failings of others, are we willing to face our own stubbornness and rebellion? The Word of God and our own consciences convict us. If we are honest with ourselves, who can say, “I have done everything God’s law requires”?
When I read Romans 1, I get caught in a self-righteous trap—looking down on other sinners. That chapter shows the seriousness of breaking God’s law, but then Romans 2 opens my eyes to my own culpability. I am far from perfect, too. If others deserve God’s punishment, what about me?
My shortcomings make me appreciate God’s “long-going”—the length he has gone to rescue me. And the more I recognize my own sin and accept responsibility for it, the more empathy, mercy, and grace I can show to others.
Personal Challenge: Think of someone who makes you angry. Try to view that person through the Lord’s eyes. Ask God to increase your capacity for grace—to fill your heart with empathy and compassion so you can be forgiving and forbearing toward others.
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