Are you looking for a fight?
I had been on tour this weekend and once again sat in the car for nine hours. And it was nine tedious hours, because the drive was from Germany to Austria, where traffic always jams up on a nice summer day.
People cruise along and admire the beautiful Lake Constance, and instead of 60 mph, they just drive 50 or even 40. Ah, friend, that really tries my patience. To be honest, I would love to honk my horn and push ahead.
For years I had an advertising deal with a car dealership and my car was labeled with my name and photo. That fact had saved me in such moments because I didn’t want to make a bad name for myself or the dealership.Today, the only decal on my car says, "Love is louder."
Much less and yet enough. It's a phrase I decided to use on my most recent album, a phrase that is now the motto of my life, a sentence that was inspired by the Bible verse that says, "And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:14 NIV)
At times like these, when traffic is slow, I could choose to ignore the phrase and let my frustration run wild. But what would happen? It would surely end in an argument, and both drivers would carry on, annoyed and angry. Or I might decide to love them... as it says on my car.
Maybe then I'll lose time, but much worse would be to lose my joy because of a quarrel.
friend, this is now an example "from the street." But could it be that you are no longer happy right now because you chose not to love, but to quarrel?
"Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up." (Proverbs 12:25 NIV)
Strife takes away the joy that love would give you!
Remember, friend... it's not easy, yet it’s worth everything: You can bring love where there is no love.
Thank you for doing this. Thank you for making a difference today!
You are a miracle!