Slow down

"The race is not to the swift"

Ecclesiastes 9:11

You know what gives me the teeniest, tiniest amount of shameful glee?  When another driver makes a big show of passing me ~ or tailgating and then passing me ~ and then a few minutes later we're both stopped at the same stoplight.   Or seeing someone speeding and recklessly changing lanes, but five minutes later they're no farther ahead of the rest of the traffic.

I mean, don't get me wrong.  It really doesn't bother me if someone passes me.  I figure, if they're in that much of a hurry, and not being careful, I'd rather let them go by.  I just find it ironic that it often doesn't seem to gain them much.

Life is not a race.  Now, I say that knowing full well that there are a few verses in the Bible that refer to running a race.  For instance, 2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race..." and Acts 20:24 "... nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy..." but in the original language, the word used is dromos, which means "course".  It simply means completing the path God has laid out before us.  It's not about speed.

Yes, our goal should be to get to where God wants each of us, but it doesn't mean we need to rush past others on our way.  Yes, we should be looking ahead to who we want to be, but not at the expense of the people in our lives ~ and that includes complete strangers in the cars around us. 

I hope you have a good day today.  And I hope you enjoy every minute ~ and everybody ~ in it.

~ "You will show me the path of life;

     in Your presence is fullness of joy" ~

Psalm 16:11