For the most part I am a pretty nice easy going guy. I like to help other people and would give the shirt off my back if I knew it would help them, but I’m only human. And my humanity gets tested often because I plow snow. A few years ago I was plowing snow in a townhome development. It was early in the morning and our crew had been working all night. Around 6 am we met on a corner to talk about a few final details before we wrapped up for the day. I heard a garage door open and looked over my shoulder only to be greeted by the ice cold stare of a twenty something woman. As she walked closer the cold stare from her eyes was backed by a string of profanities spewing forth from her foul mouth. Even though the snow was still flying she was furious that we didn’t plow her driveway sooner. She went on and on and on like the energizer bunny after a few drinks ranting and raving about how stupid we all were. Although offended I took a deep breath and got back into my truck. From the front seat of my truck I watched her back her car out of her cleared driveway and toss me the finger one more time just to make sure the message she sent was heard and seen loud and clear.
There I sat, dejected and angry after being bawled out by an ungrateful woman even though we didn’t do anything wrong. But life has a funny way of getting even. About 200 feet from the scene of the crime the woman pulled out onto a public road and promptly got stuck since it had not been plowed yet. Immediately my countenance lifted and I took another sip of hot coffee. As the drama unfolded I watched her try in desperation to free her car from the ravages of a bitter Minnesota winter storm. Unfortunately for her she was unsuccessful and I really enjoyed what happened next. This once hot tempered woman was forced to abandon her car and take a cold walk back to her house which happened to be right next to where I was parked. I could hardly keep from smiling as she strolled right past me up her driveway and into her house. These are the moments we plow drivers live for, and it was glorious.
After she entered her house I took another satisfying sip of coffee then felt a little guilty. Should I have helped her after how she treated me? Probably, but in a moment of weakness and quite frankly, sheer joy, I didn’t. In my opinion she got what she deserved and I was fortunate enough to be there to see it. Yet the Bible says this is the type of person that God wants me to love. The Apostle Paul writes: “19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:19-21)
Ten years ago George Barna wrote a book called Boiling Point. In it he said that in the future we can expect people to be more arrogant, and self-centered due to increased life pressures and lack of margin. He was right. The good news is that this environment gives Christians the opportunity to show the love of Christ in practical ways every day by loving the self-centered and the rude and yes even the woman who treated me so unkind. Looking back it would have made a huge statement if I would have towed her car out of the snowy road and it would have been a golden opportunity for me to live out my faith. But even preachers have their weaknesses.