The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Anger (01/24/05)
A beautiful sunny autumn morning, a fresh latte provided by Starbucks for my usual commute to work, and my favorite worship CD all begin this particular day. No rush, no hurry, casually I drive along, until a gigimonstrous SUV appears and proceeds to follow me as I make a left turn. It doesn’t leave my bumper--I feel my temper flare as I consider the flying eagle, or worse, stepping hard and fast on my brakes. There’s a neighboring state’s license plate on the front bumper of that intimidating SUV, and immediately a few stereotypical thoughts creep in: “They think they own the road! Dadburn people, who do they think they are?”

Ooooh-hooh-hooh. I hate tailgaters, to put it plainly. Already, here’s a trap to set me off my start of a wonderful day. The driver of that SUV has no idea of my private struggle; their only interest is getting around me, fast. Thankfully, there are no items on my car displaying my allegiance to Jesus, which might otherwise be proven if I think about doing what I’m thinking of. That worship CD was another reminder of that commitment, and I am in a pickle. I have the choice of letting this jerk go by or doing something that might injure my credibility as a believer.

I want to ignore that nudging voice that reminds me of the saying, “Big doors swing on little hinges”. As it happened, the Sunday sermon taught those very same things. I knew that how I dealt with anger in small, unseeming circumstances revealed my very character. A surprising thought comes to mind, “They’ll get theirs.” Luke 6: 30-31 states, “Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it; and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them back. Do for others as you would like them to do for you.*” I found this applies to every single circumstance in life. If I act in anger, and forget about being courteous, being kind, instead honing in being right and being rude about it, those same actions will return to me. It is amazing what people do when they’re mad, only to find themselves reaping the sometimes-serious repercussions they did not plan on.

So, I smile at the sunny morning, sip on my latte, crank up the music, and pretend not to see that SUV fly around me with their own flying eagle on display. As expected, I feel the sting of that, but by the end of the day it is forgotten, but the important lesson is not. The day starts out to be a good one, and it is, provided I do not let the anger from that small thing ruin it. Thank God for his grace. Otherwise, I’d be I a serious world of hurt.

*The New Living Translation
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 1144 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
DeAnna Brooks
01/31/05
Wow! "Big doors swing of little hinges" If that isn't a perfect description of anger. Great job!
Marina Rojas
02/02/05
This was good; I was just pondering the human habit of driving as though we own a particular part of the road (when we are on it) and how we feel so indignant that someone else is trying to use those same 7-8 feet. This was a good alternative to anger. Thank you.
Deborah Anderson
02/05/05
This was refreshing and well written. God bless you.
Debbie OConnor
02/05/05
Very, very good. I had an experience one morning on the way to work that I will never forget. I'm a pretty patient driver, but I was in a hurry and I had already let several cars in due to road construction. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed yet another car trying to get in and felt very annoyed. I forced myself to be patient and let them come, only to look up and discover the driver was my pastor's teenage daughter! Glad I was acting right. I was her youth leader too...
Sally Hanan
02/11/05
You have a very enjoyable 'you' style

A few corrections, if I may.
my allegiance to Jesus, which might be proven otherwise

at the start of my day