Fulfilling All Righteousness: Jesus Showed the Way

Driving to an unfamiliar destination recently, I found myself in an awkward and humbling moment. Following Google Maps, I realized I needed to double-check the address I’d entered. When I picked up my phone, I fumbled and dropped it. I had to bend down and get it from the floor, confirm the address, and put the phone back in its holder. It probably took 30 seconds total. I didn’t think anything of it until a woman in a Prius decided to “correct” me. She pulled in front of me on the highway, slammed on her brakes inches from my front bumper, waved her phone out the window, then gestured her displeasure with certain finger, all to make a point. She was furious, and she wanted me to KNOW that I needed to get off my phone and pay attention to the road. Ironically, she then sped off recklessly and tailgated another car down the road. I know that it is not smart to be on my phone while driving, but it struck me how her aggressive response to my momentary mistake was far more dangerous than my initial distraction. Was her response going to change my behavior?

When Jesus approached John to baptize him in the Jordan River, John hesitated, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” But Jesus insisted, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus didn’t have to be baptized—he was sinless. He chose humility, stepping into the water to stand with us in our humanity. It was his way of saying, “I’m here with you, not above you.” That moment showed that God’s power isn’t about shaming or dominating others but about love, grace, and walking alongside us.

The Prius driver and Jesus give us two very different ways of responding to others’ mistakes. One approach lashes out, condemns, and creates even more harm in the name of being “right.” The other leads with humility and personal connection, showing a better way through example. As followers of Christ, we’re called to respond like Jesus—offering grace instead of judgment and seeking peace instead of conflict.

The next time we see someone slip up, whether on the road or in life, let’s remember Jesus’ example. Instead of rushing to criticize, we can ask ourselves, “How can I respond in a way that reflects God’s love?” After all, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Lord, help us be those peacemakers, bringing grace to every road we travel!