The Driving Test
Image: ChatGPT
It can take up to a year to get a driving test in the town where I live! That’s a very long time to wait for something that many people worry about doing.
I took my driving test back in the mid-1980s. Back then there was not a separate theory test, rather a few questions from The Highway Code once back at the Test Centre.
There was one road you didn’t want to use on your test, called Deep Lane. It’s a narrow road on a steep hill with poor visibility both ways. Fortunately, I did not have to navigate Deep Lane and passed first time!
Recently two friends of mine had their driving test in the same week. One passed and the other failed. It was easy to celebrate with the one who passed, but I had to be a bit more sensitive around the person who failed. This Bible verse came to mind…
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”
Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Rome around 56-58AD, and in this section he instructs his readers how they can put God’s love into action.
This short statement is all about being empathetic – the ability to set aside one’s own feeling and to be ‘fully present’ with someone else's reality.
Jesus was the greatest example of empathy, so when we do this we are being like Him, and it helps to connect with the person we are with.
In my experience as a church leader, there are many times when I need to be ‘fully present’ in both happy and sad occasions, sometimes this can be on the same day!
I need God’s help to really connect with the people I am with. Let me encourage you to be someone who is ‘fully present’ in all your conversations.
God bless you:)
Gary Bastin
Hope Community Church leader