Let me tell you a story.

A husband and wife were driving down the road. The wife is smiling at her handsome man. He had just been so kind as to buy her a Little Caesars pizza (believe it or not, she loves this pizza). Both of them are happy and completely content. They hear a honk in the background. Neither one of them thought it was very significant. Until it was.

They continued down the road with a giant white pickup following close behind them. I mean, VERY close behind them. It is roaring and squealing. As the couple turns into a parking lot, the truck cuts them off and turns there as well. This white monster has definitely caught the eye of the couple. They watch as it circles around the parking lot and heads straight for them.

The window of the couple’s car is cracked trying to see what this aggressive man needs. He begins to swear and yell asking if the couple had a problem with him. The yelling goes on for a good while. The man climbs out of his truck asking why the couple honked at him. Very confused, they let him know that it was not them who honked. He is not convinced and begins with name calling. His rage had blinded him to the point of no recovery. As he gets back in his truck shouting and cursing, the couple rolls up their window and drives away.

“What just happened?” The husband asks his wife.

“I have no idea…” She responds. Both were baffled.

The white truck drove away, never to be seen again.

THIS LITERALLY JUST HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND AND ME! A man followed us into a parking lot and was shouting at us, because he thought we honked at him. It was crazy! I’ve only heard about these insane scenarios happening. His face and those words have been replaying in my mind over and over again. Who was this guy? What gave him the right to talk to us that way? Why didn’t my husband put him in his place?

The heart of my husband was obvious

We teach children at a very young age to be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32). We are taught regularly to love just as Christ loved us. These things are easy to do for people who are kind. It is even fairly doable for those who are rude individuals. However, when someone is cussing and calling you names in a parking lot, love and kindness seem almost cowardly.

Jesus talked about how it is not so impressive to love people who are kind and respectable. He literally told us to love our enemies. The definition of an enemy is “a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.” The man in the truck fit those qualifications. All my husband did was hear him out and drive away. Never once did Sheldon get mad or cower down. He handled this man with patience and kindness.

My response would have been angry. My response would have been rude. My response may have caused a bigger scene or a police officer’s involvement. No one would have blamed me. Some may have applauded me. However, the more I think about this moment, the more I realize I would have been so wrong.

It’s about your heart

My husband has been inspiring me to view things with the eyes of eternity. Which, for me, has better defined Christianity. Standing in Heaven, looking at my Lord, I do not see myself being proud of having a yelling match in a parking lot only to defend my pride or demand respect. Instead, I would much rather Jesus know me as one who always loves.

Maybe one day that man will remember my husband as the kind man who did not deserve to be treated with such contempt. That is a possibility. It is also possible that he may remember my husband as all of those names he called him. Then again, maybe he won’t think of my husband ever again. That was not what Sheldon was worried about. How others see him is no longer a concern. His appearance to the Lord is all Sheldon strives for at this point.

You will be known by your fruit. Jesus makes that clear. Christians talk about being kind regularly. When put in a tough situation, how many will stand against that test? I saw my husband as a huge example and inspiration. Kindness is not a weakness. It should be a fruit of every Christian (Gal. 5:22-23). It should be what we highlight and encourage. Instead we tend to glorify those who “don’t take any crap.” Kindness goes much deeper than sharing your cookies in grade school. Sometimes it means being silent while you’re being disrespected in front of your family for something you didn’t even do.