As part of a women’s book club at my church, I read an amazing book titled The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Archbishop Demond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams. One afternoon, as our group poured over the beginning chapters of the book, we had an especially honest and energetic conversation about extending grace in situations that would usually foster frustration, anxiety, and anger. If we all pause for just a minute, I know we can each generate quite the list of situations, and let’s not forget the people associated with those situations, that foster all those “don’t feel really good” emotions. My list is REALLY long. Well, in The Book of Joy, the Dalai Lama shared about a time he met a teacher in Jerusalem who told his students “When you are irritated or angry with someone, you should remember that they are made in the image of God.” Well, that sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?!
Later that afternoon I got stuck behind a sedan going 21 mph in a 35 mph zone for a couple of miles… I laughed and thought of our conversation during book club about extending grace in a situation that would usually foster frustration, anxiety, and anger and instead of going all New Jersey on the white car, I kept my expletives to myself, did not drive on the car’s tail, and I did not honk or flash my lights (singularly or in combination). This very slow and frustrating driver was apparently made in the image of God, and I did my best to be polite and extend grace. I took a deep breath, I smiled and tried to find things to enjoy that I would speed past normally…. I saw beautiful hot pink flowers on a bush; an old man pushing his lawnmower making a very small improvement to his yard that needed more than a little work; a wall of bamboo with whom someone went to war, leaving remnants that would make a panda giddy; and my favorite: a teal and white “be kind” sign someone had painted on a piece of wood and nailed to a telephone pole. Thank you, world. Message received!
And then about 5 minutes later, a frenetic squirrel darted in front of my car, I pumped my brakes to avoid hitting him, my purse flew off the front seat, all the contents now on the floor of the car, and I yelled not the nicest four-letter word. Frustration and the start of anger. I questioned my love for all of God’s creatures. And then I remembered what Archbishop Tutu told me “You are made for perfection, but you are not perfect yet. You are a masterpiece in the making.” I found consolation in admitting I am absolutely a work in progress and was happily reminded again that Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a pretty smart man. May we all work to extend grace in those situations that usually foster frustration, anxiety, and anger, and acknowledge we are all works in progress. And of course, pray for people who drive below the speed limit and frenetic squirrels!
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