Christian, we should not speak as others speak. We should speak as those who have been called by grace through faith, not of our own doing, but as a gift of God. Lest we become boastful. Lest we become expert at navigating the logs in our eyes, to tenaciously expose the troublesome specks that can seem ubiquitous all around us. We must know that our words matter. 

I’m not a very gracious driver. In fact, I’m not sure that I’m even a sorta nice driver. The truth is, I’m kind of a jerk when I’m driving. If you’re cruising in the left lane keeping it a couple clicks under the speed limit practicing to pass people, I’m probably frustrated with you. If the light turns green and you’re not off the line within a few seconds, you may get the courtesy “toot-toot,” or you may get a slightly more aggressive singular “toot.” Either way, I confess that you’ve earned my disdain. And, I don’t limit my frustration to drivers only. Interstate 4, the heartbeat of central Florida connecting Tampa to Orlando to Daytona Beach is only 3 lanes! There are myriad other roads in central Florida that — by observation — merely connect one cow pasture to another, that are 3 lanes. Predictably, then, I-4 is congested all day long, because 3 lanes is obviously not enough to bring the world to Disney. The FDOT, lawmakers, entire electorates and whoever else I happen to think of while I’m stuck in traffic, can make me downright indignant.

Fortunately, most people don’t know that I’m disgusted with them when I’m driving and the Spirit is noticeably sanctifying me in this regard. Unfortunately, my selfishness and pomposity continue to eat at my heart. But every so often, as my ire begins to rise, my right ear picks up the dulcet tones of my wife, reminding me that I have no idea what may be going through those other driver’s minds. I have no idea the news they may have just learned, the diagnosis they may have just been given. I have no idea whether they know Jesus or not. And by God’s grace, as is so often the case, I am anchored back to reality. The reality that I am not the center of the universe. The reality that the triune God is. The reality that I have been called to proclaim the excellencies of him who called me out of darkness into his marvelous light. I’m not a very gracious driver, but I have a very gracious Savior, who has called me to a very gracious task.

Unfortunately, the disdain, the self-righteous condescension, the haughty pride that fills my vehicle, is not limited to my vehicle at all. It is abundant in the world about us. It is abundant on social media forums. It is abundant in the church. Because it is abundant in our hearts.

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