“Bless, and Curse Not”

It is funny how and when inspiration strikes, but I have a little story about the bit of Romans 12 listed as my title. Just a few quick thoughts. I’m driving home minding my own business when the lady in the car ahead of me slams her brakes, and then proceeds to veer into the turn lane to avoid hitting the car in front of her. I had plenty of following distance so I stopped quickly. Upon coming to a stop there was a car parked in the turn lane in the opposite direction. This makes our driver side windows side by side. I looked at him, he looked at me, and then he SPIT a big nasty loogie at my drivers side window. He then pulls behind me, u-turns in 3 lanes of traffic, and drives by flicking me off. My first reaction was shock, “did he just spit ON my window?!” then it turned to, “who the heck does he think he is?” “loser,” etc. etc.. I was angry that someone would not only flick me off but spit at my window. Especially with my three kids in the car. I felt helpless had the situation escalated more and he got out of his car or something. Anyway, when I got home I was still thinking about the situation when the stark realization of what my Christ endured before he was hung on a cross hit me. In Matthew 26: 67 it says, ” 67Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?” and all of a sudden I can’t imagine what I would have felt had this mans spit hit my face instead of my windshield. Jesus then proceeded to be beaten, mocked, and hung on a cross where he muttered the words,”Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Wow, I stopped my nasty thoughts and prayed right then for the man who was so angry at me for blocking his path to u turn into traffic. It isn’t in our human nature to “pray for our enemies” or to “bless, and not curse,” in yet the Bible clearly asks us to do so in Romans 12. Jesus Christ came down from his heavenly home to be beaten, spit upon, mocked, to die, and rise again, all for us. He was our example and there is no greater love shown to human beings than what he showed to us. I am in awe of his love and pray he continues to give me the strength to bless instead of curse. It is important to remember these words as we go about our day to day routine. The Bible doesn’t simply ask these things of us, Jesus himself followed them out. We have an example to mold our lives around and I’m thankful for such a leader!