One great thing about having 10 grandkids is that I am able to watch kids’ movies over and over. Another great thing about grandkids is taillights. There is a movie about talking cars called “Cars.” It involves the hotshot rookie race car called Lightning McQueen. He is living life in the fast lane until he hits a detour. He is stranded in Radiator Springs, a forgotten town on the old Route 66. There is not a church in Radiator Springs, but he does meet some quirky characters that help him discover that there is more to life than trophies and fame. I relate well to the conversations of the cars because they were really life’s lessons with laughter on a 10-year-old level. I relate well because that is how most people describe my communicating style.
Let’s imagine that you are a car. How can you have less stress in your gears? First, take a look at yourself. Do you stay washed and shiny? I have a friend who drives classic cars. When I am with him, people surround us to see the car. People really are impressed with something that has been that well taken care of. Do people notice how well you take care of yourself? You say, “Wait, God looks on the inside.” That is true, but God is already a Christian and He says that man looks on the outside. Maybe there are not many cars in your church lot because you represent God’s car, and it may not have that classic look.
How about maintenance? Do you have regularly scheduled times when you change your routine, tune your body and even replace some faulty personality traits? How about tire pressure? I have discovered that most people don’t have a blow out; it’s more like a slow leak. You just wake up one day and you are flat. Regular maintenance will keep your car running for many more years.
Let’s go for a drive. Cars have different gears. Low gear is slow, for the hills in life. It keeps you from going so fast that you wear out your brakes. It’s the gear for relationships. Fast lives produce fatigue, which produces irritability, which leads to indifference, which can appear to your family as if you don’t love them. Remember the sign “Children playing — drive slowly”? Children need time to play pretend games and time to ask you questions like, “Does God have a dog?” and “Is hell hotter than Texas?” Make sure you use your low gear.
Now switch to drive. Most of life, with routine maintenance and good conditions, will be in drive. All good drivers know when it is time to slow down. Most wrecks happen when the car is going too fast for conditions.
Maybe the most important gear is park. Cars cannot run forever without refueling, and neither can you. We have to stop to refuel. You don’t slow down to fill your tank; you stop.
Part of life should be lived in park. Take a break. It is surprising to me the number of people who never take time away. The bigger the car, the further away you have to be to see it. Go to the beach; look at the ocean. See the big things of God. When I see the big things of God, my subconscious reminds me that I am not so big and important after all. I can relax.
God created the world in His eternal rhythm. In that rhythm, He rested — and in that rhythm, you need to rest, too. Of course, the gear we all love the best is passing gear — especially men. I remember one of our first trips. My wife asked if we could stop at the next rest area. I responded that we could as soon as we passed that Chevrolet that had passed me 20 miles before. I needed to pass it again. Passing gear is for those times that you need a little extra effort — when you have a deadline, or when an important presentation is coming. You can’t drive all the time in passing gear because it will wear the car out. I have seen some shiny, great-looking cars that have been driven so long in passing gear that the engine overheated and it is now ready for the cinder blocks. Save passing gear for the real emergencies in life. You will be glad you did.
There is one more gear. I hesitate to talk about it, but it does serve a legitimate purpose. It is reverse. Don’t use it too often. You should not be looking back, because that is not the direction you should be going. Every now and then, you will be in a situation that, in order to go forward, you will have to back up. Don’t overuse it, but make sure you are able to reverse when the need arises.
Talking cars can teach us a lot about life. Cars are for trips, so one last lesson for the road. I travel a lot — many miles in the car. Most of the time on these trips, my wife drives. I have discovered that she is the better driver. I still arrive where I need to be without driving. I have a partner.
Right now I am blowing my horn so you won’t miss this last lesson. The trip of life is all about partnerships. You may say, “Wait a minute, Charles, your analogy breaks down. Race car drivers drive alone.” You are right, but if they forget the pit crew, they can call the tow truck. In the race of life, it is more important how you treat the pit crew than whether you win the race. Why? Because God decides who gets the last trophy.