What are they thinking?

You have been there, either behind this car… or driving it.

The speed limit is 65 mph. The car is going 50. They are in the left lane – commonly referred to as the fast lane.

Beside them, in the right lane, is a dump truck. Also very content to go 50. Side by side these travelers “inch” forward… with a parade of vehicles stacked up behind them.

Drivers in this parade are responding to the transportation challenge in various ways. Cussing, texting, turning up their music, thinking about honking, tailgating, and wondering how late they will be to their destination. And some are praying.

Eventually the truck turns off, and the parade begins to pass the unhurried vehicle on the right hand side.

When it’s my turn to blow by, I can’t help myself. I want to see who is driving. Christian bumper sticker. A pleasant man or woman is driving, young or old, hands at 10 and 2. They may be on the phone or worshipping along with some praise music or listening to a rousing sermon. Perhaps they are praying, focused on a family member or friend.

And I think to myself, “What are they thinking? Don’t they see all the cars behind them? Have they ever been told that the fast lane is for cars going fast?”

The reality is that these drivers are in their own little world, oblivious to what’s going on around them. Oblivious to how they might be blocking progress, even emergency vehicles trying to provide life-saving service. These are nice people driving these cars, and some are devoted Christians.

If confronted with the traffic problem, some would sincerely answer, “I’m so sorry. I had no idea that I was slowing down the progress of so many.”

A parable for the church.

Speak

I read through the Book of Job this week. The issue of suffering (and the little piece of global suffering that I experience) was not the primary message I received in my current reading of this heavy book.

Most of this portion of God’s inspired Word is full of talking heads and wagging tongues. There is a lot of discussing, correcting and challenging. But there is little listening. Job talks. His three friends talk. Finally young Elihu talks. Talk, talk, talk.

By the time I began chapter 37, I was weary of the “talk” of mere mortals, Job and his four counselors. I know how the Book of Job ends, and I was anxious to get to the good part – “Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm…” (38:1ff).

Honestly, I sometimes grow weary of my own wagging tongue and the flapping lips of others. Don’t get me wrong. Like some of the words of Job’s four friends, many of the words I hear are helpful, godly, wise and accurate. But deep in my soul, there is a longing. Perhaps you have felt it… or feel it now.

I want to hear from God.

“God, I want and need to hear from You today. Quiet my wagging tongue. Speak to me, holy and loving LORD.”

Travel Update – I hit the road again tomorrow (November 11) and look forward to visiting with friends and church leaders in Tallahassee, Niceville, Fort Walton Beach, Mobile, Jackson, Starkville, Birmingham and Atlanta. I’ll be flying pretty low – returning home on November 16. Thanks for praying.

A Bigger Windshield

In early January, I decided to begin driving instead of flying – any time that I could. Among many benefits, this pattern has provided me opportunities to begin and/or stay in touch with a bunch of people that I was “flying over” in the past.

Last Tuesday I returned from a seven-day “tour” that included stops in Atlanta, Charlotte, Clemson, Raleigh, Greensboro, Boone, Asheville… and Atlanta again. Accomplishments included a board meeting with Minorities for Christ International, planning meetings with Chinese leaders, meetings with leaders about better mobilizing their churches in mission, discussions with men and women desiring to more tangibly participate in God’s mission, great fellowship, and some time with my grandkids.

Special thanks and prayer to all those who provided food, lodging, prayer and fellowship along the way – the Grantham’s, Chiang’s, Hasting’s, Baddour’s and Gilland’s. A different bed each night is really not so bad as long as I’m staying with people that love me.

As I drove last week, I enjoyed the beauty of God’s handiwork in the mountains of NC, but I also realized something. What we see out our own windshields has a way of limiting what we focus on and pray about. We tend to think, worry and pray for people and things that we see out our windshields – my family, my friends, my neighbors, my church, my nation. God knows that these are all things in need of prayer and my attention. But is that all there is to faithful Christian discipleship? 

I think God is trying to give me a bigger windshield. What about you?

Pray for me as I drive out today. I look forward to connecting with God’s people in Destin, Jackson, Memphis, Nashville and Atlanta in the next week. I’ll be trying to keep my windshield clean and big.