Opression

"And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles." (Mat 5:40-41)

Apparently it was the custom of the Roman government to give their military the authority to force a person to carry a load for no more than a mile.  If the load needed to go further, the soldiers would commandeer another person.  You may remember Simon of Cyrene being forced to carry the cross for Jesus. (Mat 27:32) Jesus taught his disciples to be the person who gives more than what is asked or commanded.  As disciples of Jesus Christ we are to display an extravagant generosity.  This communicates our trust in God.  In Christ we have everything we need; even more than enough.

I experienced the oppression of the government yesterday in what I believe to be a bit of a racket. The county and a local junkyard have quite a business going profiting from the unfortunate who happen to be in a car accident.

AJ's accident on I-74 West on 4/2/12

AJ, my son, totaled his truck.  In a construction site traffic patterns had been changed.  He got confused as to what exit to take to get home.  While looking away at the road he should have taken, he hit the stopped semi trailer in front of him.  The air bags deployed and he and his girlfriend were scuffed up by the force of the airbags.  There was no damage to the semi, but AJ's truck wasn't going anywhere.

The police arrived and got traffic moving again. The EMT's came and checked out the slight injuries to AJ and his girlfriend. Michele and I drove to the scene and got them home.  The police officer asked if we were using our own wrecker.  We told him we had Triple A.  He complained that Triple A takes an hour. His concern was safety, being out on the interstate with fast moving traffic. I agreed to have the county haul the truck off to a junkyard.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

The junkyard is an officially contracted police impound lot.  Not only did I have to pay a wrecker fee at top dollar, I also was charged a daily fee for the truck sitting on the impound lot.  You can park downtown in a parking garage all day cheaper than their fee. In addition they charged another fee to tarp the truck, something I never asked for, nor was I consulted or informed about the additional fee.

When I discovered that my fees had skyrocketed I quickly got over to the lot to see if they wished to purchase the wreck.  I knew a local junk dealer would pay by the pound.  If they would offer something competitive, they could have it.  Instead what I found was they expected me to give them the ownership of the vehicle and call it even for the charges I owed.  This was clearly an inequitable arrangement. 

I made a call to another junkyard. They offered me twice what the fees totaled. When I informed the police impound of my decision to sell it to another junkyard they informed me I had to pay them an additional fee to have them move the wreck from the lot out to me. That's when I had had enough.  I flat out told them they were a bunch of thieves. I was furious!  They claimed that all the fees were their contracted obligation to the county and there was nothing they could do.

They made me sit and wait two hours before they got around to releasing the vehicle to the wrecker to take AJ's truck away to a competitor's junkyard.  I knew they were sticking it to me for calling them on their little racket with the county government. 

The driver to the wrecker who waited with me told me it's the same everywhere. He agreed the fees were unfair, that the county and the impound lot were taking advantage of people who are having enough trouble with a wrecked vehicle.  He also was used to this particular lot taking a very long tome to release vehicles in their possession even after all fees had been paid. We both agreed, "They've got you over a barrel and they know it.  What can you do?"

I sat in my car and prayed. I prayed for justice.  I prayed that God would act to change this unfair system where the county and the junk dealer profit from others' misfortunes.  I stayed angry for most of the night. Prayer did not change how I felt, except that I was sure God had heard my prayer.  I leave it in His capable hands.

Things could have been different.  The world is filled with injustice and unfairness.  Why was I so angry at the cashier? She is only an employee of a system that profits from the disadvantaged. She did not deserve my raised voice and accusations of thievery.  If only I had been centered on Christ, perhaps I might have remembered His teaching to walk the additional mile for an oppressor.

Prayer is the key to living victoriously free of the corruption of this earth.  Studying the scripture puts the Word in my heart and prayer uncovers the Word and presents it to my mind when I need to be reminded.  With the Daniel Fast in its seventh week you would think I'd have a better prayer life and more peace.  Sad to say, I do not.   There is so much more God offers that I have not yet begun to enjoy.  Some days I feel like an adolescent when it comes to the things of the Spirit. Fortunately salvation is about cooperation, not my perfection.  If I cooperate with the Holy One living in me, He will lead me into the perfection of Christ.  I cannot will myself there. Only the Son of God can set me free.  And that is what He is doing.

Father, forgive me for I know not what I do.  You have heard my prayer for justice.  I know You will make all things right and You will take care of me.  I need not fret or worry.  With You I have more than enough. I can let go of this slight, this inequity. Like the victim of thievery whose tunic was taken gave away his cloak as well, give me a generous heart in the face of oppression. You can do this work in me.  Help me to cooperate with Thy Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, Amen.