Oncoming Traffic

“All things are legitimate [permissible—and we are free to do anything we please], but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome). All things are legitimate, but not all things are constructive [to character] and edifying [to spiritual life].” 1 Co 10:23

I can’t tell you how many times while crossing the designated area below cars ignore the warning sign. It is state law that at this crossing pedestrians always have the right-of-way. And yet, there have been times that had I not looked up I could have experienced a painful situation. It doesn’t matter that it is lawful that drivers should yield for me. It is a snap decision on the part of the walker and the driver what outcome will happen. Will the correct person yield? Will the walker exert their right-of-way even when it isn’t beneficial to their health?

Daily we face the same decisions in our spiritual life. Someone has wounded us emotionally, and we must make the decision of whether to walk out mercy and forgiveness or yield to the temptation of bitterness. We exercise our right-of-way to judge another when their beliefs are different than ours instead of sharing our testimony. Instead of denying ourselves and our rights we carry our entitlement flag into the streets.

Our example of denying ourselves...bearing our cross…waiting on our crown…comes in the person of Christ Jesus. If anyone had the right-of-way in this world it was Jesus. He was and is legitimately the Son of God and was entitled to have authority over everything and everyone while on earth. But Jesus understood that His position and purpose was rooted and established in His Father. He did not come to earth to flex His authority, rather He walked this earth yielding to things He had to endure. He yielded to the hatred and ridicule of many…He had the right-of-way of come down off the cross and yet He chose to yield…to do what was profitable and edifying to man. He denied Himself over and over daily and put aside His own frustrations and fears to pull us in to His lasting kingdom. Jesus rarely took the right-of-way but gave us an example of how to yield to others for their benefit.

We can yield to others by putting them first. We can yield to others by offering a listening ear. We can yield to others by sharing our resources with them. We can yield to those who have hurt us deeply by showing them grace when they don’t deserve it. Yielding to others will not come naturally, so we must look up before we cross. We must keep our eyes on God and use our spiritual discernment when considering our on

coming traffic.