It was a time of my life when I went to work very early. I had parked the car and was walking through the city at 6 AM when I met Mike, an old non- believing friend whom I had not seen for a long time.
As we chatted, we came to a crosswalk where the light was red. I normally wait for the green, and just for a moment we hesitated on the curb. Then, thinking that this non-believer would probably think it very strange if I made him wait when there was absolutely no traffic anywhere around, I let my momentum carry me into the street. He came with me and we crossed together.
As we reached the other side, Mike said in a quiet voice, "I usually wait when it is red." I had to admit that I did too. I had made certain wrong assumptions about Mike's standard of righteousness. Even worse, I was not strong enough to hold to my own principles even if someone might think me strange. I had lost an opportunity to show myself a good citizen who lives by the Bible's commands to obey authority.
How easily we can let the world influence us, or, as in my case, what we think of the world. And how easily we look down on those around us and feel superior-because we are believers and they are not or for some other reason. I had to remember that my position as a king and priest in God's kingdom came about not because of anything good in myself, but only by God's overwhelming and unfathomable grace.