Here is a petty issue. Several years ago, a company built a McDonald's near my house. It has a particularly odd parking lot design. When people come into the side entrance, they are expected to drive around the building in order to get in the Drive-Thru line. However, it is a common practice for people to simply ignore the plan, disregard the traffic markers on the parking lot, turn in front of the on-coming traffic, and go directly into the Drive-Thru from an odd angle.
As much as I would like to analyze the insanity of this, what really bothers me is how much it bothers me. I actually object to this whole practice. I find myself becoming angry when people turn in front of me or when they hold up traffic waiting for a chance to make an illegal turn, when they could easily go around in the designed manner. I cannot get why saving the few seconds that driving around the building would take is so important to them.
But what really bothers me is how much it bothers me. I hate it. It is a constant annoyance to watch people take the "short cut" by turning into the traffic flow. It really, really bothers me.
Now, as a legal matter, no one cares. It is a private parking lot, so the police are not involved. I have never actually seen an accident as a result of this practice. It occasionally creates a delay for others, but often has no affect on anyone, except making me mad.
I find that, deep within me, I am still a legalist, at least in this sense. I like for people to follow rules. Especially traffic rules. I want people to do what is right, even when they don't see it as right. I judge people harshly who violate this little traffic rule.
Imagine if I paid this much attention to my own sin. Imagine if I was as annoyed at my own sin as I am at the little sins of people I do not know. How often have I turned illegally in my personal life, judging others and being bitter and not doing what I said I would do?
I sit and watch as people, large numbers of people, ignore the rules for the sake of a few seconds of convenience. I am annoyed and, yes, even angry at them for that decision.
Would that more of that anger would be directed at my own failings.
As much as I would like to analyze the insanity of this, what really bothers me is how much it bothers me. I actually object to this whole practice. I find myself becoming angry when people turn in front of me or when they hold up traffic waiting for a chance to make an illegal turn, when they could easily go around in the designed manner. I cannot get why saving the few seconds that driving around the building would take is so important to them.
But what really bothers me is how much it bothers me. I hate it. It is a constant annoyance to watch people take the "short cut" by turning into the traffic flow. It really, really bothers me.
Now, as a legal matter, no one cares. It is a private parking lot, so the police are not involved. I have never actually seen an accident as a result of this practice. It occasionally creates a delay for others, but often has no affect on anyone, except making me mad.
I find that, deep within me, I am still a legalist, at least in this sense. I like for people to follow rules. Especially traffic rules. I want people to do what is right, even when they don't see it as right. I judge people harshly who violate this little traffic rule.
Imagine if I paid this much attention to my own sin. Imagine if I was as annoyed at my own sin as I am at the little sins of people I do not know. How often have I turned illegally in my personal life, judging others and being bitter and not doing what I said I would do?
I sit and watch as people, large numbers of people, ignore the rules for the sake of a few seconds of convenience. I am annoyed and, yes, even angry at them for that decision.
Would that more of that anger would be directed at my own failings.