Monday, January 19, 2009

Backseat Driver

  • Ever ride in a car with an incompetent driver?
  • Ever wish you could smack the back of their head without causing an accident?
  • Have you ever wanted change seats with the driver like they do in the movies at 100 mph and never swerve once just so you can get you there safely?
  • Are there still hand impressions in the seats or the sides of the car where you held on for dear life?

Then you may be a backseat driver!

I find myself laughing at the bumper stickers that say "God is my Pilot" or "God is my co-pilot" as if God wanted a personal robot or a secondary role in our lives. Look at this popular Proverb:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.Prov 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Does that sound like God is a pilot of any kind? To me it sounds as if God has a plan and wants to include us in that plan. He is ready to give each of us a role, but it is our responsibility to accept or reject that role.

Backseat drivers are those who cannot give in to God's plan wholeheartedly. In fact, they like letting God know where he is going wrong and try to fix things as life goes on. They have the hardest times letting God direct their paths because His way may be painful and filled with too many acts of faith.

They read the Proverb above and no more. Unfortunately, most Christians read there and no more also. They get out of it what they want and don't read the next few lines:

Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline; don't sulk under his loving correction. It's the child he loves that God corrects; a father's delight is behind all this.Prov 3:7-12 (MSG)

Don't assume that you know it all. Many backseat drivers are know-it-all's. But if they knew it all, why are they in the back seat and not driving? To be honest there are some people we should never get into the car with (not just those who are drunk or on drugs or mentally incapable). Yet we do so everyday that we do not lean our ears to God in order to hear what He is trying to say to us.

Who do you trust to keep you on track? Did you notice that last line - "a father's delight is behind all this." God doesn't delight in correction. God delights in our obedience. Obedience is a show of love and respect and honor and TRUST. Trust says that we believe God has the best for us and more after that. He will give us the first and the best. Our barns will burst and overflow.

There is a humidifier that sits in my son's room. I have told him and his sister not to play with it. What do they do today? Yes, they play with it. They spilled water. What do I do? I sit them in timeout and then talk to them at their own level. With the oldest I reinforce why she should not play with a humidifier - makes a mess, has electricity, can break. With the youngest, I reinforce why listening to daddy is important - less mess. My delight is asking for a hug to show my love towards them and receiving their love for accepting my "correction". I get pleasure out of showing them how to live life to the fullest.

The best in life is truly free - our freedom to freely follow after God who gives freely to us as He pleases. That is his delight. Does it include timeouts - yes. Does His correction hurt our pride - absolutely. Do we die from it - no.

However, we die when we cease listening to God and try driving from the backseat. We die from the inside out. Nothing satisfies us anymore, not even the peace we hope to find on a beach or in a drink or with friends or with a lover.

Don't assume you know it all. Run to God! Life will vibrate through your bones and your body will glow with health. I wish I had listen to that when I was younger. I am listening now and hope you will also.

I leave you with the great speech spoken by Dr Martin Luther King, Jr - "I have a Dream"

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