The older gentleman’s body language indicated intense frustration. He directed our car to a parking spot with a scowl on his face and harsh flapping of arms that gave the impression we had done something wrong.
We knew we were not at fault for whatever was happening in front of us but for a few minutes the man pacing in the parking lot made us feel that way.
We pulled over to get out of the way and let the driver of the pickup truck with the trailer hitched behind it continue his mission. He slowly inched forward and backward repeatedly in an attempt to back around a corner and down a small hill while avoiding other vehicles.
The older man had accidentally turned his truck into a dead-end parking area rather than circling the building like he had intended. He found himself in a bind and needed help.
We aren’t sure where he found the younger man who was piloting the truck at the moment but the two worked together methodically and patiently as a team to accomplish the goal.
It would have been easy for those of us who were blocked to express our own frustration at the situation, especially with the aggravated looks and motions being directed at us.
But no one said a word nor reciprocated the harsh expressions. We all kindly and calmly waited because we saw quickly the older man was really only angry at himself not any of us.
When the truck was back on the right path the younger man jumped out, shook the hand of the older man and gave the rest of us a thumbs up and a grin.
The older man looked so relieved. As we drove by him I rolled down my window to wave at him and share a smile to let him know everything was OK — that he didn’t upset us or cause us any harm.
He gave me the sweetest smile in return and the same arm that had been so harsh a few minutes earlier now waved at me in such a kind and gentle manner.
Random strangers all in a hurry cornered in a parking lot with no easy way out but all logically reading the situation and jumping into action to solve the problem with kindness — you know I saw a Rashional Thoughts or My Rashionale column writing itself in the moment, right?
And it wasn’t long before I saw the fruit of the spirit so obviously displayed — the younger man showed love by assisting the older man, joy and peace were obvious in the older man’s heart as he drove away, and both men demonstrated patience as they maneuvered the truck.
The ones of us trapped in the parking lot demonstrated kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control by sitting quietly and calmly, staying out of the way and not chiding anyone.
While I can’t fully attest to the hearts of the two men, I can say those in my car were and are confident in the faithfulness of God — so that particular fruit was ever-present as well.
Faithfulness also showed up in the fact that all of us had faith in the younger man’s ability to back the truck around the corner and down the hill. And the younger man was faithful to see the task to completion.
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