Safety driving features for vehicles continue to develop and become more common as technology increases. There are lane departure warnings, blind spot detections, emergency braking systems, back up cameras, and more. These features assist drivers to stay aware and alert. These help with knowing about the other drivers on the road, as well as give visual aids and cues to lower the risk of an accident.
Even a simpler car or an older vehicle has seat belts, air bags, side mirrors and a rearview mirror. Of course, even with all these features – more simple or advanced, you still have to know how to drive. You may have been taught to drive by a parent or a trusted adult or took a course with an instructor. There are many things to know and do to get safely from point A to point B.
As we move forward in life, it’s also important to know that we have many tools to help us navigate. And still, we often feel lost or unequipped. I think it’s important to identify those trusted and faithful people in our life who can help us and really take the time to teach and guide us along the way.
As we think about driving from one place to another, probably one of the most important features in a car is the large front windshield. Just think what it’s like on a day that your windshield visibility is limited – maybe on a rainy day or a foggy day or a cold day with frost buildup. If you don’t have full visibility in front of you, then it’s more likely to lead to something problematic. If we’re distracted and not looking up, that can also cause an accident. A clear windshield and using it to the best of our ability helps us to see where we are going.
This can also apply to our journey of life. When we’re on the road, looking ahead to where we are going is important. While we know the importance and need to pay attention to everything else around us – using those side mirrors and rearview mirrors to help us navigate – we move forward because we look ahead to where we are going. If we’re distracted and not focusing ahead or if our visibility is limited, it can be problematic. If we’re not looking ahead because we are stuck in the past, it’s hard to move forward. Our faith speaks to hope in what lies ahead and setting our gaze before us. Look to God who guides us going forward.
– Amy Givens, Director of Youth Ministry and Discipleship
