PASTORAL REFLECTIONS - October

Dear Good Shepherd:

I recently had a fender bender while spending a few days in Cape May, New Jersey a little traffic mishap on a round-about (actually a ‘square-about’) where cars have to crisscross to reach left or right turns). I bumped into a nice family from Dennisville, NJ, heading to The Lobster Pot for a leisurely dinner. I know I made them late. The police officers came and information was exchanged. I felt foolish, of course. I enjoy bumping into people but not that way. The damage been repaired and I’ve paid my fine to the City of Cape May on-line. Justice has been served.

The nice young officer noted my bit of anguish and said, “That’s why they’re called accidents.” The charge was “careless driving with capacity for personal injury or property damage.” Mmm, I felt a little like a criminal. It¹s not my nature to hurt people or damage property. I kind of wished that I had been the “bumpee”. Then, I could have said “That’s OK. That’s why they call them accidents.”

It could have been worse. There could have been someone in the other vehicle with real anger management issues coming back and swearing at me and beating on the hood of the car. “Look what you did! You !^&*#$@% idiot!”

Later that night rummaging through in my mind the event that stopped traffic at Sidney and the “Square-About” that day, I took great comfort in the generously loving, forgiving God Jesus introduced me to: a God steady in loving and unending in mercy, the Bible teaches. Jesus’ passion was to release people from the wrongs that kept them from experiencing divine love.

It still is. Our life together at ŒThe Shep is to foster that divine love in our daily living. It’s tough to do with all the anger circling the planet, but someone’s got start. And the church is called to such work. So I was glad I at least apologized to the family from Dennisville and the officer for my carless driving. And I apologized to my Creator for my foolishness.

“That’s OK,” I imagined the heavenly response, “that’s why we call it’s unconditional Love.”

Together in Ministry,

Pastor Ron