Lessons on the Road 7

Chat#7: Help Along the Way

I put about 25,000 kilometres on my vehicle each year. That has been enough to get me into every Canadian province and 23 states in the U.S.A. Along the way I’ve discovered that there are many kind-hearted people who eagerly come alongside to help when a driver is in trouble. One of my most memorable is the day our family set out for vacation towing a boat (which was loaded with luggage) on a boat trailer. Driving through a patch of construction the road was so rough and the load so heavy that the trailer axel broke in two. The road crew saw our predicament and came to our aid. They untied my boat, emptied its contents, lifted it off the trailer and turned the trailer upside down. They then came alongside with a pickup that carried a portable welder. In a matter of minutes they had the axel repaired and then put the boat and luggage back on the trailer for me. The only thing they would accept was my deep-hearted thanks.

 As we go through life, there are times when we break down. The road is too rough. The load too heavy. We are stopped and can’t go anywhere. Then God sends our way a person or persons who come alongside to help. At such times we can protest and say no, we can handle things ourselves or we can admit our need and let that person minister to us. Sometimes it’s a matter of simply sharing the burden. Sometimes it requires a complete repair job. The men who repaired my boat trailer were concerned, qualified, and willing to help. I would have been a fool to turn down their help. When God sends someone into your life who can give you real help in your time of need, don’t turn them away, but smile and say, “Thanks, I appreciate that.”

Lessons on the Road 6

Towing a Trailer

 Over the years I have owned and towed a number of trailers, starting with a fold down, soft-top camper, then graduating to a fold down, fibreglass-top camper, then moving up to a fold down, hard-top camper. Eventually I acquired a real (albeit it small, as in tiny) hard side house trailer complete with washroom, electricity, and stove. In addition I have owned several boat trailers over the years. I have towed said trailers from Newfoundland to British Columbia. I have learned several things—they can be dangerous, and they can be a strain on your vehicle, they definitely slow you down, but they can also be fun.

 In life we sometimes hear people referring to the baggage that they drag with them. Like a trailer, they are referring to the things that are behind them. Tennyson in his poem Ulysses wrote, “I am a part of all that I have met.” Every person we’ve met and every experience we’ve had has added to who we are. Some have put a strain on our life. Some have slowed us down or even stopped us in our tracks. Some have added much pleasure to our life. Wisdom is knowing what to hitch to our lives to make the journey more complete.

 Joshua 18:6

“Go in peace. Your journey has the Lord’s approval.”

Lessons on the Road 5

Chat #5: Using a GPS

 The GPS (Global Positioning System) has to be one of the most intriguing inventions of the information age. I was first introduced to this by a friend who was visiting our house. We walked around the block together as he held a battery-operated GPS. A little dot on the map showed our progress as we walked. Later, another friend demonstrated his GPS in his car as a disembodied voice gave him instructions as to where to go. It wasn’t long after that that my wife gave me a GPS for Christmas. It is both comforting and scary to think that somewhere hundreds of miles out in space a group of satellites is tracking my every move—at least when I have the device turned on.  It’s scary because it means my privacy is reduced, but it’s comforting to know that I can never really be lost.

 

Every day we travel into the unknown. We wake up in the morning and we don’t know what a day will hold. We have plans, but we are never sure if they will unfold the way we hope. Unexpected things happen. Life takes a sudden turn. We have to detour. As Christians it is good to know that we are never alone because God has promised to be with us always. For us GPS means God’s Positioning System. He not only knows where we are at all times—He is in fact with us at all times. He is not out there in space keeping track of us—He is beside us and in us, guiding us all the way Home.

 

Psalm 32:8

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Lessons on the Road 4

Chat #4: Maps

I love using maps when I’m travelling. Maps give you a broad picture of where you are relative to everything else. When you pull in to a rest stop and spread out your map on a picnic table it is very satisfying to plot your progress, to see how far you’ve come and what lies ahead to be explored. You can see mountains and lakes, towns and cities, highways and byways. It’s as if the whole world is spread out before you and you can choose to go wherever you want. That’s exciting.

Back in the 1960’s when I graduated from high school it seemed that life was like that. I had the whole world spread out before me. I could go anywhere I wanted to. I could do anything I wanted to—at least I thought I could. My first choice was to go to university. Then I chose to go teaching. Then I felt a calling to travel one particular road, the road of ministry, and so I became an officer in The Salvation Army. Last year, after 44 years on the road, I retired. Now the map is back on the table. Once more I have choices. That’s exciting.

Isaiah 30:21 (NIV)

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

Lessons on the Road 3

Chat #3: The Long Distance Trip

It has been said that when you are travelling, getting there is half the fun. The other half is doing what you plan to do once you get there. If “getting there” is indeed half the fun than we should plan the trip well. I have made return road trips from Toronto to Vancouver Island, from Toronto to St. John’s, and from Toronto to Florida. Besides my wife, I have had kids, a dog, and a cat at various times and in various combinations. Sometimes I have driven around the clock, and sometimes taken almost a week to get to the destination. The secret to enjoying the trip is planning and preparation. Taking time to do this will add fun to the experience.

As Christians we anticipate the end of our journey. We look forward to Heaven. But what about the “getting there” part? Do we have to wait until we get there before we experience happiness? I don’t think so. Jesus said that He came to give us “abundant life.” He said He came to give us His joy. The Bible contains many verses about God’s faithful having the “joy of the Lord.” Like any road trip there will be times when we experience bumps on the road, but in spite of that travelling with Jesus is a joy-filled experience. Begin each day with God. Plan with Him what you will do today. And don’t wait for Heaven before you begin to laugh.

1 Peter 1:8 (NIV)

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

Lessons on the Road 2

Chat #2: The Day Trip

Aah, the day trip. Leaving home after breakfast, enjoying the scenery or a country fair or a visit with friends and returning home to your own bed at night. Those pleasant little trips are something to be treasured. They are fun for the whole family and they generally don’t cost a lot. Even with today’s high fuel prices, a day trip is still an economical way to have fun. My wife and I have taken such trips often, sometimes they turn into berry-picking activities, sometimes a picnic, and sometimes we even throw in a little fishing. But most time its just “oohing and awing” at God’s creation.

In life, we should take time to relax and enjoy what we have. God never meant for us to always be in a rush, to always be spending and acquiring. We should take time to enjoy one another and enjoy the world around us—as the old adage says, “Take time to smell the roses.” Take time with family and friends. Take time to get to know your fellow church members as real people. Take time to appreciate all that God has provided. And don’t forget to thank Him for it all.

Mark 6:31 (NIV)

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Lessons on the Road 1

Chat #1: Planning the trip

I’ve been driving (with a licence) since 1967 when I bought a brand new Suzuki motorcycle from some of the money I earned as a school teacher. Since then I have bought almost a dozen vehicles (if you count an old RV I once owned) and have driven from coast to coast in Canada several times and in a good number of the states in the U.S.A. Over the years I’ve learned a few things, some the hard way, and I hope to share some of this in the chats that will follow. I have learned that some of the “road lessons” are also “life lessons.”

Lesson number one: plan your trip. It’s a lot of fun getting out maps and brochures and talking with your family about the upcoming trip, especially if it’s to a place you’ve never been before. Plan how long you will drive each day. Plan where you will stop for the night. Plan what you will do along the way. With a good plan in place your trip will be exciting and fun.

Life lesson: a lot of people go through life with no aim or ambition. They let the forces around them drive them. As a result their life is unsatisfactory and they accomplish little. The Bible says that God has a plan for our life. This does not mean that everything that happens to us is God’s will, but it does mean that God will give us direction. Then it’s up to us to follow His plan. Wherever you are in your life you can stop, get out the roadmap and ask God, “Where to from here”?

Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Lessons from Cars 20

Lesson 20: Mirrors

The rear-view mirrors are some of the most useful parts of you car. When I lend my car, people sometimes freak out by the way I have set my side mirrors because when they look in them they cannot see what is behind them. I explain that the inside mirror is for seeing what is behind. The side mirrors are for covering blind spots. When a car is behind me it is in my inside mirror. When it disappears from that mirror it appears in one of my side mirrors. And when it disappears from those mirrors it appears in my eyesight. So I am always aware of exactly where other cars are at all times.

In life we should always be aware of where we are in relation to others and to where we have been. We go forward with our eyes on Jesus, but we must not turn a blind eye to those around us. We should be aware of those who are behind us. Some of them are following our example. Where we go, they will go. How we behave, they will behave. We should be aware of those coming along side us in life. Some are there to encourage us. Some are there to reassure us. Some are there to help. And we should be aware of those overtaking us. Sooner or later we will slow down, our journey will end, and others must complete the task and go where we cannot. We must be humble enough to let them pass.

John 3:30

He must increase, but I must decrease.

Lessons from Cars 19

Lesson 19: Accessories

Car accessories are those things that make driving more pleasant. They are not necessities; you can drive without them, but they make the driving experience more enjoyable. My dad’s old ’54 pickup had one accessory—a glove compartment. By the time I got my ’69 Vauxhall it had a glove compartment and a cigarette lighter (now called a power outlet). Later vehicles had a radio, cassette player, cd-player and a satellite radio. Today’s luxury vehicles have all this and more—heated seats, power seats, DVD-player, heated steering wheel, climate control and built-in navigation system, to name a few.

In our Christian life there are also necessities and accessories. Certain things are absolutely necessary if we are to maintain a healthy spiritual lift—prayer, Bible reading, worship and fellowship with other Christians, and acts of service. And there are other things that can help us, things that in this context may be considered accessories. These include listening to good music that will inspire us, reading good books that will encourage us, and putting good art in our homes (including Christian art and mottos). 

1 Corinthians 10:31

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Lessons from Cars 18

Lesson18: Security features

None of the vehicles I have ever owned have been on the “most stolen” list. Only someone desperate would steal a Vauxhall—although someone did steal the battery out of it. And then there was the K-car and an old Aerostar minivan, and a string of other practical but not-very-sought-after vehicles. Years ago it was fairly easy for thieves to “hot wire” cars. Even teens did this just to go on a joy ride, with no intentions of keeping the vehicles. Today security features are much improved with electronic keys, remote door locks, and built in GPS systems to track stolen cars.

In the Bible the devil is described as a thief who comes to take away that which God has given us. We see in the story Adam and Eve how the devil stole their innocence and security. We see in the story of Noah how the devil took away peace from the earth and replaced it with violence. In the parable of the farmer scattering his seeds the devil took away the word of the gospel before it could take root in the hearts of the hearers. We must be always on our guard against the devil lest temptations of the world and the flesh rob us of our peace and the blessings we have in Jesus.

Revelation 3:11

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Lessons from Cars 17

Lesson 17: Safety Features

When I think of the vehicles I first drove I shudder at how unsafe they were. They had no airbags to cushion a person in an accident. They had no seatbelts to keep people in the vehicle in the event of a roll over. They had no ABS breaking system is assist in slippery weather. The bumper was built like a battering ram with practically no energy-absorbing features. There were no head rests to reduce whiplash injuries, and there was no soft padding on the dashboard. Thankfully, today vehicles have all these features and more to keep us much safer on the road.

Of course life has no guarantees. Even with all the safety improvements people still die in automobile accidents. But when it comes to our spiritual life, God has given us a guarantee. If we put our trust in Jesus we will get to Heaven. He has said that he has given us eternal life and no one is able to take that away from us. The Apostle Paul testified that nothing in Heaven or Hell is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. It is like the old gospel song says: “He will keep you from falling, he will keep to the end. What a wonderful Saviour, what a wonderful friend.”

John 10:38

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Lessons from Cars 16

Lesson 16. Dashboard: information

The dashboard of your car is the source of all kinds of vital information necessary for the safe performance of your vehicle. The early cars gave the barest essentials: gas gage, engine temperature, voltage, odometer, speedometer, turn signals, and high beam indicator. With electronic dashboards of today we have all that and more. My minivan shows me the oil life, the average amount of fuel consumed per kilometre, that a seatbelt is not fastened and that a door is ajar. It even has a built in satellite system that enables me to phone hands free.

If our lives can be compared to a car the question we need to consider is where are we getting the information necessary for a healthy, fulfilling life? Is the information reliable? Is it enough? We acquire a lot of information over the years—some more helpful than others. Advertisers will try to convince you that you need their products in order to be happy. Your friends may tell you that you need to have certain experiences to be happy—do drugs, smoke, drink, have sex. Others may tell you that you need money, fame, or power to be happy. But what is God saying to you? That is the most vital information you need to know.

Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

In all your ways acknowledge Him,

And He shall direct your paths.

Lessons from Cars 15

Lesson 15: Windows

On a number of occasions I have been driving and thought that my windows were clean. Then I found myself driving directly into the sun and, wow, all the dust and grime revealed itself. I could hardly see out the window. Driving in the shade or with the sun behind me was no problem. As soon as the light hit the window, all was revealed. The sad thing was that the dust was on the inside. Keeping the windows clean on the outside was not such a problem, my wipers, along with the rain and an occasional car wash took care of that. It was the dirt on the inside that was the problem. I had to get out the Windex.

In our Christian life we can often get away with keeping clean on the outside. An occasional visit to church, a few charitable donations, a little volunteer work and we appear to those around us to be upright citizens. But in the light of God’s word and in the glow of God’s Spirit moving in our hearts we see what we are on the inside. Jesus had a word for people who appeared clean on the outside but were dirty on the inside. He called them hypocrites. Strive to be pure through and through. Keep the windows to your soul clean.

Matthew 23:26

First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

Lessons from Cars 14

Lesson 14. Lights

It’s been said that we don’t appreciate something until it’s gone. Take signal lights on your car for example. Last week my left turn signal light on the front of my car gave out. I had to stick my arm out the window and drive extra carefully for the few hours before I could replace it. (This was a do-it-yourself job with a bulb from Canadian Tire.) Turn signal lights, headlights, tail lights, break lights, park lights and back up lights are there for two purposes: to see and to be seen. The headlights are for us to see where we are going. The other lights are for people to see us. Both are important.

The Bible talks about spiritual light in the same two ways. God’s Spirit and God’s Word are like the two headlights on our car, showing us the way to go. Our own lifestyle, our words, our actions, our attitudes and our character are like the other lights on the car, showing those around us who we are and what we are doing. We must live by the light God gives us, and we must also let our light shine as a witness for Jesus to those around us.

Matthew 5:14

You are the light of the world.

Lessons from Cars `2

Lesson 13. Brakes

When looking for a new car we ask about the motor, the horsepower, the speed, the comfort of the ride, the handling and all things associated with going. We take for granted that the car has stopping power. You have only to lose your brakes once to never take them for granted again. I recall losing mine while my wife and I were driving to my parents house one Christmas. About five miles from their home the brakes gave out. It was night and late. We slowly crept the rest of the way. My dad had left the garage door open for us and we coasted to a stop by bumping into the back wall. This is not recommended.

Life is fast-paced. We rush from one activity to the next, often boasting about how busy we are. Most of us hate to be idle, hate to have to stop. But there are times when we need to slow down. In fact there are times when we should slam on the brakes. When we don’t have time for our family we need to slow down. When our work is interfering with our health we need to slow down. And when temptations are drawing us into sin we need to slam on the brakes and come to a full stop.

1 Corinthians 15:34

 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning;

Lessons from Cars 12

Lesson 12: Tires

Let’s talk about tires. Right now I am driving on four comfortable Michelins. They replaced the worn (cheap) tires that came with my vehicle. When I put the new tires on it was like walking in a new pair of slippers. The ride was smooth and quiet. Over the years I have not always been so careful. I have been known to drive on what my friends called “baloney skins”—tires that were tread-less and that had the wire showing through the sides. After numerous flats tires and skids into snow banks I have learned the importance of having good rubber underneath me.

You have no doubt heard the expression “where the rubber meets the road.” That phrase refers to the most important point in a situation. This is the point where all our preparation and theory turns into action. We can have a fancy-looking car with a big motor but if it doesn’t have good tires it's not going far. In life we can dress in the finest clothes, study at the best universities, attend the most popular church, but if we don’t put our faith into action we are going nowhere. In your Christian life, where does the rubber hit the road? At what point does your faith turn into action?

James 2:17

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Lessons from Cars 11

Lesson 11: Paint

Over the years I’ve learned a few things about paint. The first lesson was that looks can be deceiving. My dad’s old ’54 truck was originally blue but there was someone else in town with the same kind of truck that was the same color. The other driver was on the seedier side of the law and unfortunately my dad’s truck was sometimes mistaken for the other one and we often had the police on our tail—occasionally following us right to our door. When my parents stepped out of the truck, the police were all apologetic. My dad got fed up with these reoccurrences so one day he handed me a paint brush and the two of us set to work painting his truck black. It was not the fanciest paint job but it solved the problem. The truck remained black for the remainder of its years and painting it became an annual spring ritual for us.

As Christians we need to live distinctive lives. It’s important that people are able to identify us for who and what we are. It’s not good enough for us to simply blend in and be like everyone else. And it’s far worse if we are considered not to be Christians at all. The only way that people around us can know us is by our words and actions—“they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” As a child in Sunday school I was taught “don’t be afraid to let your colours show.” This was not about uniform-wearing but about lifestyle and faith. Stand up for Jesus. Stand out in the crowd.

1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Lessons from Cars 10

Lesson 10. Cooling System

Things can get pretty hot under the hood of your car. To keep things cool you car has a cooling system consisting of a radiator, a thermostat, coolant (usually some kind of antifreeze) and a pump. In the old days of my dad’s 1954 Chev pickup the coolant was plain water and the system did not work real well. I remember us stopping at roadside streams many times to put water in the radiator. And when the engine got hot, so did my dad. It was a challenge for both him and the truck to keep their cool.

It is always important for us as Christians to keep our cool. “Cool, calm, and collected” as the old saying goes is the way we should respond under pressure. But we are not all alike. Some of us have short fuses and tend to lose our cool. Like my dad’s old truck, some of us tend to get hot under the collar. When that happens we need to have in place a cooling system. Besides taking deep breaths, counting to ten, and going for a short walk, we should say a little prayer, ask God to give us His peace, and put into His hands whatever it is that is causing us to boil over.

John 14:27

 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you…. Do not let your hearts be troubled….

Lessone from Cars 9

Lesson 9: Oil

Every mechanic will tell you that oil is the lifeblood of your car’s engine. According to carbibles.com (gotta love that name) engine oil “stops all the metal surfaces in your engine from grinding together and tearing themselves apart from friction…” It also transfers heat from the engine chamber and keeps all the nasty by-products of combustion in suspension. So there you have it—everything you need to know about engine oil. One more thing—change the oil regularly according to your car’s driver’s manual.

In the Bible the Church is compared to a human body with many parts, with each individual Christian being a part of the body. The Church can just as easily be compared to a car with its many moving parts. Just as in a car engine where metal surfaces can “tear themselves apart from friction” so Church members can “tear each other apart” with infighting, competition, and disputes. The oil that keeps the Church running smoothly is the influence of the Holy Spirit uniting us in a bond of love. When things begin to heat up in your church because of friction between members ask God to anoint you again with the oil of the Spirit so that things will run smoothly.

Romans 12:4-5

For just as each of us has one body with many members…so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Lessons from Cars 8

Lesson 8. Filters

Your car is equipped with a number of filters—air filter, oil filter, and gas filter. Some cars also have a filter for the air conditioning unit. Filters by definition clean dirt from contaminating the thing they are filtering. The air filter insures that clean air enters the cylinders. The oil filter keeps the oil clean. The gas filter catches any contaminants that are in the gas. And the air conditioning filter makes sure that passengers and driver breath fresh, clean air. I used to change the air filter and oil filter myself, but now I leave it to the kids at the quick oil change garage.

The world around us is filled with things that can contaminate your life. Things like pornography, drugs, alcohol, and coarse language. Television, movies, and the internet all carry their share of contaminants. As Christians we need to filter out of our lives all those things that soil our witness and make us unclean in our hearts and minds. The filter that we use is the Bible. The word of God and the teachings of Jesus are our standard. By applying this filter to everything we encounter we can determine whether they are clean or dirty.

Psalm 119:9

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
    By living according to your word.