Going the wrong way dummy!
Last Saturday I went and saw half of my immediate family and a few extras who had gathered about an hour away from my school. I was excited to go because I hadn't seen most of them since Christmas or before. So I gathered my CDs, filled up the tank, go directions-twice and started out on the open road of Indiana.
Upon arrival I was greeted by my wonderful grandparents, mysteriously joyful aunt, my crazy mom, and, sitting over by the TV, I managed to get an unanticipated thumbs up from my, younger by 2 years, brother. He's on spring break this week and had my mom pick him up at school on her way down. We don't get along very well, but love each other all the same. Can anybody relate?!? We love like brothers but fight like guests on the "Jerry Springer show." He knows it; I know it. My mom hates it. My dad laughs and usually lets us handle it ourselves.
Anyways, we watched a movie, talked about life, played some piano, blah blah, blah…I'm on the open road again at 9 PM. I love my family but it’s not much to write about now is it?
I'm cruising, about 9:30 PM, through this small town where the highway, I'm using, turns and of course, I miss it. Maybe it was the Burlap song I was listing to or that I'm not fit to drive at night or whatever, but I missed the turn and immediately pulled into the nearest lot and turned back on the road to hunt after my highway turn lane. As I neared the turn, I noticed that there were no signs facing towards me to show that this was my turn, in fact the street light didn't even face my direction? I slowed down and eased through the intersection and then it hit me, "this is a one-way street!" Oops, i put on my flashers and went to the side of the road and waited for the right time to jump out so no one would notice me, but it was way too late for that. It seems that the whole town had been watching me and as soon as I pulled over, with my flashers still on, 5 little girls, who were not those little cute girls that go to your church, started banging on my truck and yelling, "you're going the wrong way." I looked back to see all the little girls' parents staring at them with pride at what they were doing. I wasn't embarrassed but thought this was kind of silly and didn’t think they were helping, but I wanted to allow them the satisfaction of knowing that, I now am quite sure ‘I am going the wrong way.’
Just as I rolled down the window to say this a man in an old-school Honda minivan drove by and yelled, "You're going the wrong way dummy!" In my head all I could think was, "what a crazy old man who probably has no where to go."
But after I managed to crawl out of that town without getting my picture in the paper I realized something. Nothing to profound to you, I wouldn't think. But its what i needed to hear. God loves that guy who shouted at me. He may not go to church or volunteer with underprivileged kids or anything...but God loves him and wants him to know that. I didn't have any "real" interaction with the guy, but I sure could use a better view of him and that value that he holds. He isn't valuable because of how smart his random comments are, what town he lives in, or even how often he goes to church or keeps from sinning. I have people in my life that i cast off as only a “crazy old man who probably has nowhere to go," just like I did tonight.
Our value is found in the grace and potential that Christ created us with.
Christ does not see us for what we do, say, or love but by the beauty that we were created to have.
I'm done writing now...
Jared Bell
Upon arrival I was greeted by my wonderful grandparents, mysteriously joyful aunt, my crazy mom, and, sitting over by the TV, I managed to get an unanticipated thumbs up from my, younger by 2 years, brother. He's on spring break this week and had my mom pick him up at school on her way down. We don't get along very well, but love each other all the same. Can anybody relate?!? We love like brothers but fight like guests on the "Jerry Springer show." He knows it; I know it. My mom hates it. My dad laughs and usually lets us handle it ourselves.
Anyways, we watched a movie, talked about life, played some piano, blah blah, blah…I'm on the open road again at 9 PM. I love my family but it’s not much to write about now is it?
I'm cruising, about 9:30 PM, through this small town where the highway, I'm using, turns and of course, I miss it. Maybe it was the Burlap song I was listing to or that I'm not fit to drive at night or whatever, but I missed the turn and immediately pulled into the nearest lot and turned back on the road to hunt after my highway turn lane. As I neared the turn, I noticed that there were no signs facing towards me to show that this was my turn, in fact the street light didn't even face my direction? I slowed down and eased through the intersection and then it hit me, "this is a one-way street!" Oops, i put on my flashers and went to the side of the road and waited for the right time to jump out so no one would notice me, but it was way too late for that. It seems that the whole town had been watching me and as soon as I pulled over, with my flashers still on, 5 little girls, who were not those little cute girls that go to your church, started banging on my truck and yelling, "you're going the wrong way." I looked back to see all the little girls' parents staring at them with pride at what they were doing. I wasn't embarrassed but thought this was kind of silly and didn’t think they were helping, but I wanted to allow them the satisfaction of knowing that, I now am quite sure ‘I am going the wrong way.’
Just as I rolled down the window to say this a man in an old-school Honda minivan drove by and yelled, "You're going the wrong way dummy!" In my head all I could think was, "what a crazy old man who probably has no where to go."
But after I managed to crawl out of that town without getting my picture in the paper I realized something. Nothing to profound to you, I wouldn't think. But its what i needed to hear. God loves that guy who shouted at me. He may not go to church or volunteer with underprivileged kids or anything...but God loves him and wants him to know that. I didn't have any "real" interaction with the guy, but I sure could use a better view of him and that value that he holds. He isn't valuable because of how smart his random comments are, what town he lives in, or even how often he goes to church or keeps from sinning. I have people in my life that i cast off as only a “crazy old man who probably has nowhere to go," just like I did tonight.
Our value is found in the grace and potential that Christ created us with.
Christ does not see us for what we do, say, or love but by the beauty that we were created to have.
I'm done writing now...
Jared Bell
posted by Jared at 2:45 PM
2 Comments:
I love it! All of that you just said! As Becky would say, I laughed out loud so hard that I was making "happy noises," just like I'd make if she were a potato chip and I were eating her.
...um, maybe I should have kept that to myself and the few people know what I'm talking about...
Anyway, very good point. I dismiss people in the same way as "crazy old men who have nowhere to go" and it puts up a wall keeping me from ever considering loving them.
Hey Jared!
We found your blog and it looks great! We also put a link from our blog so we can read up on you regularly! Have a great week!
-Brandon & Jennifer
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