Staying in one's Lane

I was recently pulled over by the police. I waited in the once-familiar blue lights as the officer approached and informed me that he pulled me over because I was swerving. “How many drinks have you had this evening,” he asked, to which I informed him my last drink was twenty years ago. Not believing me, he gave me a breathalyzer test which proved my innocence. He let me go without a citation, but the experience left me rattled.

The next morning, my wife and I were discussing a struggle I was having as a volunteer at a local non-profit. (Having worked in such a world, it’s easy to put on my non-profit CEO hat without knowing it.) She reminded me that I needed to “stay in my lane,” as she put it. Between the moment with police and the advice from my wife, it was clear I had some reflecting to do. Seems I have a swerving issue. I need to learn how to stay in my lane.

Perhaps, I’m not alone.

I drive fast. It gives me a sense of purpose. Reaching a destination in record times feels like an achievement. When my wife offers her familiar refrain, “There’s joy in the journey,” I try not to roll my eyes. So, too, I like to get things done quickly, but my pace often leaves others drowning in my wake. Swerving from lane to lane, I try to get wherever I’m going as fast as I can, sometimes forgetting to use my blinker. No wonder I confuse and frustrate others.

In a group to which I belong, they speak of being driven by a hundred forms of fear, and I know, deep down, that fear often causes me to swerve out of my lane. Fear wears many masks and control is one of them. It fools me into thinking I know better, have found a faster route, and causes me to plow ahead regardless of the collateral damage. Whether it’s a committee’s work, a domestic dilemma, or a child’s choice, the temptation to swerve into someone else’s lane is constant.

Accepting life on life’s terms is difficult. Accepting people, places, and things as they are is a life-long challenge. “That’s where faith comes in,” a wise friend pointed out. “Those people, places, and things are as loved by God as you are. Why not get out of the way and let God do God’s thing?” In other words, stop swerving and stay in your own lane?

It’s an important lesson, but it’s one that’s easy to forget. Staying in our lanes and not running the show is an act of faith. It allows God to be God, and you and me to be who we are. As difficult as it may be, it’s actually a tremendous gift.