I don’t react well to drivers that cut me off on the road. Do you? You might even say I overreact sometimes. I wouldn’t call it full on road rage but there are definitely thoughts in my head that I wouldn’t be sharing in a sermon on Sunday. And I would certainly continue on in this rant with more arrogance if I hadn’t cut off a motorcycle at a four-way stop the other day. I never saw him until I almost hit him.

I was hoping he would raise his hand in an understanding gesture, but he didn’t. Instead he lifted his hands up, and as he went by I’m pretty sure he said, “Really?” It was a gesture of frustration mixed with a dash of contempt. It was an overreaction I thought. I know that because I’ve given that gesture dozens of times to other drivers who have done what I did.

Being on the receiving end felt different than being on the giving end. His gesture made the day a little less beautiful. I spent the next couple of minutes talking to myself and explaining why I did what I did and how unreasonable it was for him to think I was an idiot.

I think it would be helpful to calibrate my “reaction-meter” every once in a while. A reaction-meter could help me realize whether I am reacting appropriately to any given situation.

I used to think my only problem was overreacting. If you’re like me, there are times I overreact and I actually know I’m overreacting and I can’t stop. That happened more often when my kids were younger (Sorry about that, kids). But I may have just as big an issue with underreacting.

Sometimes Brenda will share something with me that she is really excited about, expecting an equal reaction, and I won’t react at all. This would not be a problem if it weren’t for the extremely disappointed look on her face.

There’s a place in Scripture where David dances so heartily before the Lord that his wife is embarrassed. She thinks it was undignified that a king should be leaping and hopping around. She was a classic underreactor. David was lost in the love of God, and dancing was the most appropriate thing he had done all day. I wonder how many of us have underreacted to the presence of Jesus in our lives.

I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime, but someday my reaction-meter will be fixed. In Heaven, I will dance, and when there’s nothing in particular to react to, I will run around with wide eyes full of joy. Don’t pay too much attention. I’ll just be making up for lost time.

A week or two ago in the college group it came up that all throughout the gospels the Pharisees and Sadducees attempt to corner Jesus and trap him into saying something that will get him in trouble. They construct often times hypothetical questions with the goal of somehow forcing him into choosing either “A” or “B”, knowing all the while that neither option is ideal. The amazing thing about Jesus though is that he always shows that there is a third way. He is always, shall we say, creative in his response to the Pharisees and Sadducees. When he appears trapped, he creatively and cleverly pivots to point out that there is another option all together. And consequently his responses leave the religious leaders of the day as well as the listening crowds in amazement. 

I say all this because just this week I saw scrolling through my newsfeed on Facebook that a bakery in Bakersfield refused to bake a cake for a particular kind of wedding. This is the not the first time something like this has happened. And of course there is the usual uproar and anger from all parties involved (or not involved). So with the previous conversation still ringing in my ears I began to ask myself, “Would Jesus have baked a cake?” I can almost imagine that if Jesus walked the earth today he would almost certain be asked this question, probably by some reporter eager to make Jesus pick a side that would undoubtedly alienate a large portion of the country. Now let me be clear up front, I don’t know if Jesus would bake a cake or not. And I don’t intend to argue one way or the other. I simply want to point out that Jesus is creative in his response and we should be too. 

Consider for example the woman caught in adultery in the beginning of John 8. In the well known story the Pharisees and Sadducees bring a woman who was caught “in the very act of adultery” to Jesus. Then they proceed to quote Old Testament law, scripture itself, to Jesus. He is seemingly trapped. However deceitful the motives of the religious leaders might be, they do actually seem to have Jesus in a corner. It appears the woman really is guilty, and Scripture itself (in Leviticus and Deuteronomy) demands that she die as punishment. But, to everyone in the crowds amazement Jesus doesn’t condemn her. In fact he literally says, in John 8:11, “Neither do I condemn you.” He does go on to say, “Depart and sin no more.” Acknowledging that what the woman had done was sinful, but his response is certainly not what anyone in the crowd that day would have expected. And in fact if we think about it, his response probably isn’t what we would really have expected even today. 

So I don’t know if Jesus would bake a cake or not, you’ll have to decide that for yourself. But I am sure of this, that his answer would be one we wouldn’t expect. It almost certainly wouldn’t be a simple “no.” I hope that through the Holy Spirit we as Christ followers might find creative ways to speak the truth in love like Jesus did. 

This week we had to run hills at what is affectionately called, “The Dam Wall”, which is located off of Yosemite in Simi Valley…and it is high and very steep.  I did great for 5 runs up this hill and then….and then…my old body slipped and I felt a pull in my quad.  I did not want to stop because I thought I had just strained it trying to catch myself, and down I went and back up.  Again, I stepped off the ledge and darn if I did not slip again.  This time it hurt so bad I went down and had to end my Dam Wall run. I have to say I was mad.  I was mad at myself for slipping and mad at my body for being old.  I was kind of depressed as I drove home and iced and iced my leg.  I HATE being injured as I am trying my hardest to get healthy. I did not want to stop.  As I was sulking and icing my leg I was reading my Bible and God met me right in that place…As He ALWAYS does.  He spoke through His Word to me, even though most would think ‘get a life Brenda, this is lame, there are way more important things to worry about’…I agree, but none the less He met me in my lame disappointment.  What did I read? 

2 Corinthians 4:16-17…”So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”

Though I can’t see like I used to and need my glasses, and my body does not recover after working out like it did when I was 20, and when I look in the mirror and see wrinkles galore, I DO NOT LOSE HEART!!  Why? Because I am fixing my eyes DAILY on the truth that my inner man is being renewed.  And someday it will all come together when our bodies are resurrected when Jesus comes back.  In the meantime I will just keep taking care of my outer self, and spending time with God so He can renew my inner self day by day.  Oh what a glorious day that will be!!!

What are your favorite things to do?

What are you really good at?

What would be your ideal way to spend the weekend?

What are you most looking forward to in the next 10 years?

What do you want to be when you grow up?

What do you hope never changes?

Who is your most interesting friend and why?

What makes a good life?

What is your favorite Bible Story?

What is something you thank Jesus for?

What was the best day of your life? 

What do you love most about your family?

Thank you Alice and I am sure we will see you soon at a Starbucks somewhere!!