Is it a sin to think someone deserves something?

[ellam25]

Let me explain: last night I was driving home with my 5 month old in the car, and we came to a construction zone where the speed limit goes to 45. Well I slowed to about 50 and this guy cones right up on me and rides me until I move over, then he speeds off and rides another guy until he moves over then he proceeded to go about 70 down the freeway . I saw a cop pull out and follow him and finally pulled him over. I thought to myself 'haha! Serves you right for being such a jerk on the road" but then I wondered if it was a sin to think that way. Its just so hard when he was acting so dangerously!

 

[Della]

Let me explain: last night I was driving home with my 5 month old in the car, and we came to a construction zone where the speed limit goes to 45. Well I slowed to about 50 and this guy cones right up on me and rides me until I move over, then he speeds off and rides another guy until he moves over then he proceeded to go about 70 down the freeway . I saw a cop pull out and follow him and finally pulled him over. I thought to myself 'haha! Serves you right for being such a jerk on the road" but then I wondered if it was a sin to think that way. Its just so hard when he was acting so dangerously!

No sin at all. He did deserve all the justice the law will allow for his actions. Putting others in danger just so he could go faster is not only against the law, but reckless disregard for the safety of others–not just the other cars, but the construction workers who are all too often the victims of such drivers. He will get what he deserves for his actions and rightly so. As Christians we can forgive him for his behavior, but in law he will have to pay whatever penalty the judge thinks best.

 

[Michael_Allen]

Let me explain: last night I was driving home with my 5 month old in the car, and we came to a construction zone where the speed limit goes to 45. Well I slowed to about 50 and this guy cones right up on me and rides me until I move over, then he speeds off and rides another guy until he moves over then he proceeded to go about 70 down the freeway . I saw a cop pull out and follow him and finally pulled him over. I thought to myself 'haha! Serves you right for being such a jerk on the road" but then I wondered if it was a sin to think that way. Its just so hard when he was acting so dangerously!

There may, perhaps, be a difference between thinking someone deserves something and taking pleasure in the the punishment of others.

And I suppose as Shakespeare so eloquently put it in The Merchant of Venice, we must all be slightly wary of a passion for justice…

‘Though justice be thy plea, consider this - That in the course of justice none of us should see salvation. We do pray for mercy, and that same prayer doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy.’

 

[Polyphony]

Obviously, on some level, there may have been a small desire for vengeance. But I couldn’t really imagine it being conscious, let alone sinful.

In my heart of hearts, while I do get annoyed at jerks on the road, my real desire is just that they stop driving like they do. There’s no need to be a bully and there’s no need to be disrespectful.

Frankly, if a ticket can sort out their attitude, should they have a bad one, then so be it.

If such a person learns to drive respectfully, maybe one day an accident will be avoided as a result. People who tailgate on low speed-limit roads probably do the same on the interstate, where the risks are much higher.

 

[GEddie]

We should all bear in mind that, as I heard long ago, “we think we deserve good coffee, but all anybody **deserves **is to go to Hell.”

ICXC NIKA

 

[ellam25]

We should all bear in mind that, as I heard long ago, “we think we deserve good coffee, but all anybody **deserves **is to go to Hell.”

ICXC NIKA

Does this mean that we all do things like that guy on the road so we shouldn’t judge? Not really sure how to take this lol

 

[Della]

Does this mean that we all do things like that guy on the road so we shouldn’t judge? Not really sure how to take this lol

Yes, this idea of not judging can be taken too far, and has certainly been in the secular world. As you know, one of the seven acts of spiritual mercy is to admonish sinners. This, of course, must be done, when it needs to be done, in all charity without relishing correcting another. The OP didn’t ask how we are to feel about someone who blatantly violates laws meant to protect us on the roads, but is it a sin to “think” they deserve being pulled over and given a ticket. Of course we are to think they deserve this, which is not sin, since they did it. What we aren’t supposed to do is relish the person getting his just deserts, but take it as a warning not to act as he did.