Driving my children to school is often very frustrating for me. Although there are signs indicating how traffic should flow, who should go and who should wait, the majority of drivers seem to be unaware or uninterested in the posted information. We've all been sent home specific guidelines for how to safely drop off our children, but every day I see people walking their children through dangerous areas that were designed for only cars to pass through. The whole thing makes me so crazy I often end up lecturing everyone from my driver's seat, much to my children's embarrassment. I can't help it! If they would just READ THE INFORMATION given to us, there would be NO PROBLEMS AT ALL!! ARGH!!!On my way home, I entered a neighborhood where an elementary school has been built in the center of all the homes...it's a great idea in theory, but the traffic can be maddening and nerve wracking with many drivers apparently believing the rules were put in place for everyone but them. It drives me nuts.
Today, as I approached the school, the road was just as crowded as usual, but everyone was driving safely - appropriately. I was in shock. I could not believe how lovely everyone was being! No one was driving over 25 mph, parents were not double parking and making their children jump out of their cars on the traffic-filled side of their cars (that one makes me want to slap someone in the back of their head, btw). I was so impressed! I was taking this orderly scene all in when I found the source for the order: A police car, lights flashing without the siren, was setting the pace in front of the usually erratic pack. Bless that officer!! We all made it past the school and all of the children were safely deposited in their classrooms. It felt great to be a part of such an organized procession and I was so thankful for that officer taking the time to keep us all in line, in spite of ourselves.
Isn't that just like our walk with God? He placed all of us here on this planet and gave us all the information we needed to be successful here (The Ten Commandments). So, what did we do with that information? We may have read it, but we pretty much disregard it whenever it conveniences us. Our behavior puts ourselves and those around us at risk for not only physical/emotional injury, but spiritual death. So, did God just throw in the towel and give up on us? Nope. He sent His Son, God made man, to step in front of us and set the pace.
Jesus came here and led the way. He showed us how to live our lives to glorify God. He knew we already had the rules for living set before us, but he loved us enough to also reduce Himself into the form of a man to show us it could actually be done. He came here, waved his arms and said, "This is how it's done. Follow me, mimic my example, and you'll get through this the way God wants you to get through this." That alone would have been miraculous, but He went further and went ahead and paid the penalty for the multitude of times when we disregarded God's law and instead pursued our own pleasure. He suffered and died to pay restitution for our selfishness. Because of Him, we can approach God as His children, forgiven and adopted into His family. What a gift.
That's grace.
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1-2, NLT
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