I went to visit the family farm where I lived for many years recently, and my younger brother, who I attended high school with, and who was the drummer/singer in our rock band in the 70's, and a star athlete, and I were driving together in my small car. He insists on driving, which for me is a traumatic experience since I have driven in the city for decades, and he lives in the country and seldom drives. I drive like a rabbit, in fact, used to ddrive a rabbit in the 1980's. He drives like a turtle. No one can make me lose my temper but him. Not even my ex-wife. He is "Bob," in "What About Bob," and I'm Dr. Marvin. He knows how to press the buttons and I'm convinced enjoys the drama that follows.
As usual, we started arguing over how to drive my car. We were driving down the street, and both a bit stressed about other family issues, and a pedestrian started crossing the street away from a cross-walk. We have also been arguing over legalism for many years. Even though I could tell we were going to clear the lane before he crossed, my bro started slowing down in the active lane.
I yelled: "NO!! DON'T STOP!! WE'RE CLEAR!!"
He said loudly: "THE PEDESTRIAN HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!!"
in the mean time he took his foot off the brake and we coasted past the pedestrian's path.
A loud and heated debate followed:
Bro: "THE PEDESTRIAN ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!"
Bro2: "YOU CAN'T STOP IN AN ACTIVE LANE!!"
Bro1: "HOW DO I KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO JUMP OUT IN FRONT OF ME!" "THE LAW SAYS TO YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS!!"
Bro2: "YOU CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BY STOPPING IN AN ACTIVE LANE AND RISK THE PEDESTRIAN!"
Bro1: "I ALWAYS OBEY THE LAW!!"
Bro2: "THERE IS A MISSING REAR WINDOW IN THIS CAR BECAUSE I OBEYED THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND STOPPED ON ICE!"
Bro1: "THE LAW IS FOR THE PEDESTRIAN'S SAFETY!
Bro2 (me) Totally goes off and vents many years of church frustration and debating theology and legalism with him and many other Christians, justice reform, and not being able to control my car for one, or the way my brother drives:
"THE LAW DOESN'T RULE THE CHURCH!!"
"THE LAW DOESN'T RULE AMERICA!!"
"THE LAW DOESN'T RULE IN TRAFFIC!!"
I don't remember what we discussed next, probably the church and the 10-commandments, but, I calmed down and we reached a mutual agreement that it was wrong for me to tell him how to drive since he was in charge of the vehicle which created danger, and that it would have been safe in that instance to either stop for the pedestrian, or to coast past.
The law does rule in traffic of course, but, there are exceptions for safety. The law is non-moving, but cars are always moving in a million different situations. There are many situations where if someone obeys the letter of the law, an accident can result, or vice-versa.
But, the law is supposed to be a servant of the people-- not the master.
Paul talks about this in Galatians 4-- maybe someone else could post those verses...too tired...
As usual, we started arguing over how to drive my car. We were driving down the street, and both a bit stressed about other family issues, and a pedestrian started crossing the street away from a cross-walk. We have also been arguing over legalism for many years. Even though I could tell we were going to clear the lane before he crossed, my bro started slowing down in the active lane.
I yelled: "NO!! DON'T STOP!! WE'RE CLEAR!!"
He said loudly: "THE PEDESTRIAN HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!!"
in the mean time he took his foot off the brake and we coasted past the pedestrian's path.
A loud and heated debate followed:
Bro: "THE PEDESTRIAN ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!"
Bro2: "YOU CAN'T STOP IN AN ACTIVE LANE!!"
Bro1: "HOW DO I KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO JUMP OUT IN FRONT OF ME!" "THE LAW SAYS TO YIELD TO PEDESTRIANS!!"
Bro2: "YOU CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BY STOPPING IN AN ACTIVE LANE AND RISK THE PEDESTRIAN!"
Bro1: "I ALWAYS OBEY THE LAW!!"
Bro2: "THERE IS A MISSING REAR WINDOW IN THIS CAR BECAUSE I OBEYED THE LETTER OF THE LAW AND STOPPED ON ICE!"
Bro1: "THE LAW IS FOR THE PEDESTRIAN'S SAFETY!
Bro2 (me) Totally goes off and vents many years of church frustration and debating theology and legalism with him and many other Christians, justice reform, and not being able to control my car for one, or the way my brother drives:
"THE LAW DOESN'T RULE THE CHURCH!!"
"THE LAW DOESN'T RULE AMERICA!!"
"THE LAW DOESN'T RULE IN TRAFFIC!!"
I don't remember what we discussed next, probably the church and the 10-commandments, but, I calmed down and we reached a mutual agreement that it was wrong for me to tell him how to drive since he was in charge of the vehicle which created danger, and that it would have been safe in that instance to either stop for the pedestrian, or to coast past.
The law does rule in traffic of course, but, there are exceptions for safety. The law is non-moving, but cars are always moving in a million different situations. There are many situations where if someone obeys the letter of the law, an accident can result, or vice-versa.
But, the law is supposed to be a servant of the people-- not the master.
Paul talks about this in Galatians 4-- maybe someone else could post those verses...too tired...
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