It was a black Dodge Charger, and it was driving me crazy.
Not because it was doing anything illegal… just annoying.
The car rider line behind my children’s school was a winding one that went all the way around the playground so that the most cars could wait in line without backing up to the road. The slightly narrow lane was surrounded by trees, and there he was. The black Dodge was parked right. on. the. side. next to a pretty snug curve. Was it IN the road? Not really. Was there a person in the car? NO. And it was driving me crazy! Didn’t the driver know that I needed to fly around that curve so I could go sit in line for the next 30 minutes and scroll through my phone while I wait for them to release the girls from class? Didn’t he know that he could get hit there, barely on the narrow shoulder? I knew I couldn’t be the only one who was annoyed. This went on for about two weeks, my agitation rising so much that I would actually look for the car when I entered the line, craving validation for my irritation.
But one day, the car wasn’t there on the shoulder. Slightly mollified, I got in the line like usual and waited for school to let out.
About twenty minutes later, I was moving and I rounded the corner of the playground where I could see the back of the lunchroom. And you know what was there, parked by the back door? THE CHARGER. Now, I was more confused than annoyed.
A few minutes later, it all came together. I saw the adult male walk out of the back door, garbage bags in hand, and throw a load in the dumpster. He then stopped by his car (it’s how I knew he was the owner), got out his headphones, put them on, and went back inside. It hit me. I looked to my left and there was the little area where he normally parked… right across the road that was lined with cars. You see, he hadn’t been parking there to drive me crazy. He had been parking on the shoulder because the cars were blocking his path to the parking lot. Unbeknownst to us, we innocent parents had been keeping this man from a safe spot that would keep him out of the way, and also give him access to his workplace. Worst of all- I had been borderline angry with him, when all he had done was try his best to stay out of the way so that he could get where he needed to be.
I’ll admit, I was ashamed. And then it was like God whispered in my ear: “That could be you.”
We all sin. We all fall short. There are literally words in the Bible that say no one is perfect, and God loves us anyway (Romans 3:23) . The crazy thing is- this guy hadn’t really done anything wrong, he just needed people to make room for him.
So here’s the thing: make room for someone today. I’m not saying let them walk all over you, but maybe give a little grace when it isn’t easy. That person cut in front of you when you were in line for coffee? Make room. The teacher didn’t respond to your e mail in your 30-minute timeframe? Make room. Your spouse didn’t unload the dishwasher when it’s the only thing you asked them to do? Make. Room. Because guess what? It could be you.
Today, I’m praying for opportunities to make room. I know that means God will be placing those opportunities in front of me and it won’t be easy, but that’s our calling. But if I had been looking for them before, then maybe I would have been a little more understanding with the slight inconvenience of a car parked on the shoulder of the car rider line. It’s not the simple route, making room, but it’s the eternal route. It’s the worthwhile route. Because yesterday? It was me.
Now every afternoon when I go flying into the car rider line, I look for the black car. And you know what I see?
I see a gap in between cars that are lined up in front of that back parking lot. I see some room that wasn’t there before.
And when I round the corner, I see the car where it’s supposed to be: in a parking spot, out of the way.
All because people are making room.
