Pardon me for a moment while I remove this log from my eye … I find that most of us have a tendency to forget who we are when we get behind the wheel. More than that, I think the true problem is in forgetting about the other person, Joe or Jane Commuter sitting next to us in traffic. Behind the glass in those impersonal machines are people, men and women with feelings and souls and faces. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:39). Well, we might ask, what does that have to do with my driving? (Most of us are not just defensive drivers, we’re defensive of our driving.) We become lawyers: “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus responded to a lawyer in His day with a parable about passersby on a road (Lk. 10:30-37). The message of Jesus’ parable is clear—anyone we can effect in a positive way is our neighbor (v. 36-37). We’d never think of showing the kinds of attitudes we display in vehicles while standing, person to person, in a fast food line. Common courtesy—the fruit of Jesus’ command, "And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way” (Lk. 6:31)—should continue in the car.  Think of it as an opportunity to do good. You can’t really teach, but you can avoid the carelessness, disrespect, and contempt that spread like ripples in a pond.

    Our driving can also demonstrate our attitude toward government… Oops, let me get this beam out of the other eye … All too often, we treat speed laws like the mattress tag law— “This can’t seriously apply to me, can it?” Paul said, “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities” (Rom. 13:1). Furthermore, he said, “He who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God” (v.2). Strong defines subjection as obedience—does that apply only when a law makes sense to us? Certainly not. Here’s a simple test: How do you feel when you see a police car ready to pull out behind you? Your foot goes to the brake and your heart goes to your stomach, right? The Spirit has a word of advice for us: “Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good …” (Rom. 13:3).

    I heard a story once about a carload of folks headed to a gospel meeting. On the way there, an old man in a big car cut them off, forcing the driver to slam on his brakes. This threw him into a rage. He moved up onto the old man’s bumper and laid on his horn. He followed along behind the man, honking and tailgating, until the old guy finally turned off at the church parking lot, where it turns out both cars were headed. Or how about the fellow that was pulled over for speeding and who should come to his window to administer justice his brother in Christ who happens to be on the police force? It’s times like these when we’re reminded that we should still act like Christians when we get behind the wheel.