I don’t understand people sometimes. The things they do make no sense.

The Gravel Road Courtesy of Wikipedia

I don’t know what happens where you live, but on the gravel roads around here people drive down the middle of the road. Most of these roads easily accommodate two lanes of traffic, so why, when no centre line exists, do drivers ignore the “lanes” and use the middle of the road?

Of course, on meeting traffic the cars easily pull over to pass by, and then return to the centre.

Although that has exceptions. there’s road work started on Highway 40 which I would normally use. Between the reduced lanes and the 60 kph speed limit I thought taking the back way was faster. On my way to work, however, I got caught in the middle of a convoy of pea harvesters (big combines). The head (the front part which picks up the plants and directs them into the combine for the fruit to be separated from the stalk) reaches across both lanes. No passing likely. Oncoming traffic pulled almost into the ditch to get past. I concede that combines must travel the centre of the gravel road.

Instead of driving at the 60 kph I got to drive at 30 kph. That improved my travel time – negatively.

Likewise, Christians have experienced the forgiveness of a God who acts with extreme justice, proclaiming us not guilty even though we are! Those same Christians withhold forgiveness from people who are innocent, accused and condemned falsely. That makes no sense.

Oops, maybe that’s the point of the parable Jesus told (Matthew 18:21-35 God’s Word):

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked him, “Lord, how often do I have to forgive a believer who wrongs me? Seven times?”

Jesus answered him, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy times seven.

“That is why the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to do this, a servant who owed him millions of dollars was brought to him. Because he could not pay off the debt, the master ordered him, his wife, his children, and all that he had to be sold to pay off the account. Then the servant fell at his master’s feet and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay everything!’

“The master felt sorry for his servant, freed him, and canceled his debt. But when that servant went away, he found a servant who owed him hundreds of dollars. He grabbed the servant he found and began to choke him. ‘Pay what you owe!’ he said.

“Then that other servant fell at his feet and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you.’ But he refused. Instead, he turned away and had that servant put into prison until he would repay what he owed.

“The other servants who worked with him saw what had happened and felt very sad. They told their master the whole story.

“Then his master sent for him and said to him, ‘You evil servant! I canceled your entire debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you have treated the other servant as mercifully as I treated you?’

“His master was so angry that he handed him over to the torturers until he would repay everything that he owed. That is what my Father in heaven will do to you if each of you does not sincerely forgive other believers.”

I still don’t understand people sometimes…

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