“I went to the Big Box Wholesale Club again yesterday,” Stan began.
“Busy?” I asked.
“I had a hard time finding a parking place,” Stan replied. “I finally saw a person who was leaving, so I put on my turn signal blinker and waited for her to back out.”
“Just as she backed out and I was ready to turn into the parking place, another person cut right in and took the parking spot.”
“Wow,” I said, “that must have made you mad.”
“Not so much,” Stan replied. “Oh, there was a point in my life when I would have gone ballistic, screamed, yelled, and wanted to crash into his car.”
“This time, however, I had a real sense of peace. Right after the fellow did that, I saw another car backing out and I took that parking place without a problem.”
“Did you say anything to the person who took your parking place?” I asked.
“No,” Stan responded. “There was no point.”
“After I finished my shopping and was returning to my car, there was a real commotion with the fellow who had cut me off.”
“What was going on?” I replied.
“It seems that a shopping cart had rolled out of the cart rack and crashed into the back of his car. There was a dent and a big scratch. He was livid. He had gotten a Big Box employee out there and was yelling and saying he was going to sue. All sorts of nasty stuff.”
“But I thought there were signs saying that Big Box is not responsible for such things.”
“There are,” Stan said. “The employee was pointing that out to the fellow.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“I have no idea,” Stan replied. “I went to my car and left, thankful I had not parked where that fellow did. And you know what, my friend? I kept thinking about what God says about revenge.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“It is His, not mine,” Stan replied.
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Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:19.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the truth of Your word and the practical applications that abound for every aspect of my life. You give instruction for a purpose. Your purpose. I confess that too often I do not listen to what You say. Please forgive me all of those instances. Please, Lord, help me in leaving room in my life for whatever You want to do. Lead me and help me to follow in being and doing only as You intend, not as I want. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before You in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Waiting for the Train 