DRIVER’S EDUCATION

“Proverbs will teach you wisdom and self-control and how to understand sayings with deep meanings. You will learn what is right and honest and fair. From these, an ordinary person can learn to be smart, and young people can gain knowledge and good sense. If you are already wise, you will become even wiser. And if you are smart, you will learn to understand.” (Proverbs 1:2-5 Contemporary English Version)

When I was in high school, students had to take Driver’s Education as part of the path to getting a State Driver’s License. Those courses lasted a semester and by the time you finished the course, you were familiar with all the rules of the road, including the various types of road signs. Yes, we could identify them by shape and color, and we could read the embossed words on the signs at a glance. I’m not really sure, but perhaps for budgetary reasons the public schools discontinued offering Driver’s Education, a free course.

Many years later, things went from free to a fee, When my children reached the age where they could get a learner’s permit and eventually a driver’s license in my state, they had to pay a few hundred dollars to learn what we were once taught as part of our high school curriculum. Let’s skip ahead to today. Things have changed these days! Teens can get a learner’s permit and after several hours of behind the wheel training, attested to by a parent’s signature on an official form, the teen  can go to the license branch and get their license. I suspect that most parents follow the guidelines. However, there are some that probably do not have the same degree of integrity, inasmuch as they are eager, for one reason or the other, to help their teen get a license as soon as possible.

Lately, and this is just my opinion based on personal observations, I think that the quality of driver’s education has declined. Why do I say such a thing? Well, it seems like the number of drivers who ignore the rules of the road are on the rise. There is not a day that I don’t see drivers not following the rule about turning on red after stopping. There is not a day that goes by without seeing drivers ignore the “No U-Turn” sign! Running the red light happens so much that you almost have to count to five before proceeding to accelerate once your traffic light turns green. These are just some of my observations.

Let’s switch the subject to driving on the road called life. Diver’s education is free!  You just need a Bible and perhaps a good teacher. Nevertheless, as a believer, if you do not follow the rules for driving through life as expressed in the Scriptures, there are a plethora of negative consequences. I won’t label them “accidents,” but will stick with the term “negative consequences;” consequences that affect the individual and others driving on the road called life. Maybe you are a good driver on the road of life. But read one anyhow. Know that if you enter where you should not enter; if you don’t stay in your lane; if you disregard the caution signs, even ignore the exit signs; if you go too fast; if you don’t follow the direction of the Authority who instructs you to modify or change how you are driving on the road of life, there will be negative consequences. There will be hurt, harm, havoc, and hefty prices to pay.

Look! It’s springtime. While I hope the warm weather that comes with the seasonal change from winter to spring, does not cause you to ignore the traffic rules for driving on the streets and highways, more so, I hope that you do not ignore the guidelines in the word of God as you travel down the road of life. Think about how you can help yourself as you drive on this road by getting more “driver’s education.” Think about how you can keep others from danger as you drive on this road of life, on your Christian journey. Think about how you are modeling the right way to drive on the road of life as one of Jesus’ disciples. Think about how you can put a smile on the face of the Lord as you drive on this road.

I’ll be praying for you! Be safe! Keep studying the manual, the Bible! Be blessed!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 The Message Bible)

Committed to the climb,

Mark L. King