Minding My Own Business

How often have you uttered the words I was minding my own business when all of a sudden…then the sentence is followed by the details of an event that probably included you feeling frustrated, angry or embarrassed. Where do the negative endings come from? Who’s responsible? If you could change these outcomes would you?

I remember times when I was minding my own business then all of a sudden I found myself in a situation where I was out of control. I have made statements like, “I don’t know where it came from but I said…” Or after I recounted the events of a situation with a less than favorable outcome I have wondered aloud what would have happened if I had not responded to the other person in kind.

Reality Stranger Than Fiction

I was talking with my friend about a situation where a woman got angry because of a derogatory name her husband called her. The woman began to pour gasoline around the house and look for matches! While this was a program on television, both my friend and I were able to identify with past situations where we thought such action was a viable option. Of course we never carried out the violent ideation.

Could that have been you? Has that been you, regardless of your gender? Was there a time when you, in a moment of impetuous reaction decided to put your safety and that of others in jeopardy to make a point to someone? Have you found yourself in such a predicament recently?

If that exact situation had not occurred, perhaps there was another where you were minding your own business and someone came along, entered into an exchange with you and you then found yourself saying and doing unlovely things?

We hear daily reports of road rage involving people that otherwise seemed to be able to make good choices that create reasonable outcomes.

Today as I sat in a busy mall parking lot at lunch time waiting for vehicles to allow me egress I had a chance to observe much activity. The parking spaces were all rather tight and to the right of my vehicle was an SUV straddling the line. I carefully parked next to it leaving a space for a smaller vehicle on my left.

Abruptly a small truck pulled in to that space next to me, with centimeters between the vehicles on either side. As I sat there in the driver’s seat I had a full view of the action that was taking place. The man behind the wheel made a final jerking movement forward, his front tire ran into the cement planter around the tree in front of our cars. There was no possible way for him to exit his truck.

Just as I was thinking about letting him know that I was going to leave, which would provide more room. He glared at me angrily. He stopped the car, looked at the tree through his front windshield and yelled an expletive! The obscenity was followed by a grimace at me. Next he backed aggressively into an open parking space behind us. He then got out of his truck and stormed toward the mall entrance.

Obviously I do not know what was on his mind. Indeed I am not aware if this was his usual demeanor or perhaps one of his worst moments. Clearly I am not in a position to make any determination about the state of his mental health. What I can acknowledge is the fact that this could have been one of those “minding my own business moments”. A time when two strangers met for no good reason.

I am certain you can reflect on some possible ways the situation could have turned sour.

Not Minding my Own Business

When this situation unfolded I was not minding my own business. The truth is I was minding God’s business. I was in meditation, murmuring the word of God and mulling over scriptures. Recently I have been deliberately practicing Biblical meditation (thoughtful pondering, murmuring and visualizing of the word of God as we yield toward Him).

One would think minding my own business is what is best to do and anything that happens when we are minding our own business, is well, something that was beyond my control. While that thought seems right, the Bible tells us that there is a way that seems right but results of which are death.

We are to be about God’s business, as Jesus was. When we are meditating on the word, seeking God’s way of doing and being right, and loving our neighbor as our self we are then about God’s business. Our responses and actions flow from the spirit rather than the flesh when we are minding God’s business. It is best if we can remain in that family business.

According to the word of God all of us have sinned, fallen short of the measure. Yet that does not prevent us from making changes even in the midst of grabbing the gasoline can or looking for the matches! When we repent and seek God with heartfelt conviction He hears us and responds.

He loves us unconditionally. He knows us. He created us.

According to the word what separates those who love Him from others is that they follow His commandments. He has told us to follow His commandments. We have been commanded to love our neighbor as our self. Do you, (not your neighbor), follow His commands?