The Parking Space

But love ye your enemies, and do good . . . and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. —Luke 6:35, 36, KJV

I was hot, tired, hurt, and frustrated.

Earlier in the day I had been verbally attacked by an angry family member. It had been vicious. Though I had not done what I had been accused of, getting things straightened out would take time and money—both of which I was short on. And now I was on my way to yet another of many doctor’s appointments. It was not a good day.

I pulled into the parking lot and noticed the perfect parking spot right in front of the door. At least one thing was going my way. As I eased toward my parking place, another car slipped in ahead of me, claiming my spot. Irritated by the nerve of the rude driver, I stopped and glared at the woman behind the wheel. It was obvious I was headed for that spot. How dare she steal my spot? After making sure she saw my displeasure, I drove to another parking spot much farther from the door of the doctor’s office. At least this thoughtless woman knew I was unhappy with her. As I got out of the car, I saw the same woman walking toward me in the parking lot. I prepared myself for her verbal assault and planned to tell her just what I thought of her. And then she spoke. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to get your parking place.

I’ll move my car, and you can park there. It’s just that my arthritis hurts me so badly, and when I saw that spot, I just went for it before I realized you were headed for the same place.” Standing in that hot parking lot, I realized I had completely misread her intentions. I knew that this stranger was showing me much more of the love of Jesus than I had offered her. And I was ashamed. My angry words remained unspoken.

Quietly I asked her to forgive me and told her she did not need to move her car. How humbling to realize that I was the one in need of forgiveness for my harsh, too-quick-to-judge spirit. In that parking lot I had a change of heart.

God had sent me a message of mercy and forgiveness.

A message I share with you in the hope that, like me, you will never forget to be kind and merciful—then the world will know that we belong to God.

Faye Acuff