Friday, June 27, 2008

Idling at the Light


They pulled up next to me in their really ancient Chevy, the typical “old-couple”(OC). You know the ones. They look like any moment they are about to die and probably it would be just as romantic as those movies where the OC always die in each others arms. That kind of couple.
So I don’t know why this idea struck me. I’m not normally like this. I just decided it would be awesome to hit the gas at the light and take off, leaving them in my dust. The light hit green and before I could catch how stupid I was I hit the gas and shifted into second gear within 2 seconds. Leaving them far behind. Probably fulfilling the stereotype that OC have about my generation.
Well I got to the next light and lo-and-behold the OC pulled up right next to me. They probably were laughing. Here they were, obeying the laws, not speeding, not being cocky, and they ended up at the exact same place I was. This is what was racing through my head and the more I imagined what they were thinking the more I wanted to make sure they didn’t and just then the light turned green… I hit the gas again, leaving them in my dust. Then I hit the next light…red…and here comes the Chevy, slogging along till it parks right next to me. At this point the realization of how dumb I was being kicked in and I gracefully pulled away from this light. The OC turned right.
I find it interesting in John 14:6 (My favorite Bible verse) that Jesus said that He is the Way. If Jesus is the way then the road to Him is a journey. A journey implies that there are distances we have to travel and since the Bible was written to more people then just me, that means that there are others who are traveling the same road as me. Why is it that even though all of our destinations on this road are the same, we get bothered by those who seem to start out fast? Especially given that we arrive at the same place?
They say that you preach what you are going through and perhaps I am now. I don’t know. I don’t know if anyone is ever past this faze but I know I feel like the OC and seem to be the one who was left in the dust at the light. For me, it always seems that I’m in the beat up Chevy, watching as everyone else speeds ahead into the future while I’m stuck idling at the light.
As the OC pulled off to the right, the conviction for acting like a crazy person came over me and then this insight I just shared. If Jesus is the Way then that means that all of us have the same destination. My job isn’t to worry about those who are leagues in front of me but to focus on my own journey, staying on the road, etc. Funny and obviously rather simple but for me it was profound.

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"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." Matthew 7:13-14