Driver's Ed.

“Are you comfortable? The peddle on the right is the gas, the other one is the brake. P means park, D means drive, R means reverse, N means neutral. Always wear your seatbelt, check your mirrors, and be aware of your surroundings. Ok, let’s put the key in the ignition…try the other key. Good, step on the brake, put it in Drive, check for cars and lightly step on the gas peddle.” My first time out as a parent teaching his teen son to drive. Asher just received his driving permit and it falls upon me to be his personal Driver’s Ed. Instructor using my unblemished Kia van. It may just look like a family van to you, but to me it’s my convertible (it has a sun roof that we use for the few weeks it doesn’t rain in Portland) super cruiser. I would submit it to our local Show-N-Shine car show, but surprisingly no one else sees its power and beauty like I do…and I would have to wash it.

One of my first indelible words of truth and wisdom I shared was the word “Stop”. The louder and more nervous I said it, the harder one should press on the brake. The second was “Confident drivers are safe drivers. Insecure drivers are hazardous drivers. Over-confident drivers are reckless drivers.” Competent and confident drivers make good decisions, follow the traffic rules, keep emotions under control, and are courteous to others. Insecure drivers make timid decisions, do not fully grasp the official and unofficial rules of the road, and are not aware of their surroundings. Over-confident drivers make bold decisions, rules do not always apply to them, they tend to drive with emotion and treat others on the road as obstacles to avoid. You know those statements could apply to us in other parts of our lives as well.

We can see that insecurity in our lives can make us ineffective and hazardous to others. The root of most insecurity is fear. We can have fear in our relationships, finances, parenting, vocation, goals and dreams, and certainly learning to drive. That fear can lead us to hazardous relationships, unhealthy anxiety, and poor decisions in life. The Apostle Paul gave encouragement to a young pastor in his first assignment “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of a sound mind”. 2 Tim. 1:7

On the opposite side of the spectrum we see that over-confidence in who we are and our control of all areas in our lives leads to recklessness. I would argue that most over-confidence is rooted in pride. Pride and its companion self-centeredness are a reckless heart and spiritual position that destroy the self and hurts others. Taking advantage of others, being rude and inconsiderate, verbal and physical abuse, gossip, slander, malice, bitterness and rage are all destructive behaviors that flow from over-confidence. “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” Proverbs 18:12

I strive to be competent and confident in life, as well as safe driving on the road. With Christ in my life I have the Spirit of God who is my strength and wisdom where all things are possible. I hope to have the balance of submission and love to Him and others through humility. When, I find that balance I can see His blessing upon my life at home with peaceful, loving relationships, at work, with friends and with influence in our community. “…All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5b

I have not doubt Asher will be a competent and confident driver with experience and golden nuggets of instruction from me, “If a squirrel runs across the road, its better to squish it then dent my bumper by swerving and hitting a mailbox.”, and I have no doubt of the Holy Spirit at work in your life as well.