Have you ever felt like a lugnut on an 18-wheeler hurtling down the highway at 75 miles an hour? You’re going too fast, everything is spinning out of control, and somebody else is driving! Sound familiar? Well, join the “lugnuts” club!
It seems that much of life is like this today. The tempo of living is almost furious. The demands and pressures come from all sides, and everything needs to be done “right now” if not before. And just as soon as you think you’ve got some breathing room, more things are put “on your plate.” The pace is unrelenting.
In my belief, the devil is behind most of this, and he is using the pride and greed of people to create this horrendous atmosphere. “You can build it bigger and make it go faster. You can do more, go more places, make more money, and get more stuff.” But that isn’t the devil’s prime purpose. He’s after “bigger fish.”
First off, he wants us distracted from the crucial and important things of life. Serious reflection on the deeper things is non-existent because we are pre-occupied. Bible reading and study is either forgotten or is morphed into a quick glance at a devotional book.
Second, relationships suffer. Bizarre work schedules keep families apart. Children’s extra-curricular activities take up evenings and even weekends. Conversations between parents and kids are limited to talking about who needs to go where and at what time. Watching your child play softball is a good thing, but it’s no substitute for a one on one talk about the things which matter most in life. And spouses suffer terribly, collapsing on the sofa after a full day but surprisingly having an empty feeling inside.
Wisdom tells us that “he who hurries his footsteps errs” and “everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.” Remember that poverty is measured in ways other than money.
If you’re a lugnut on that 18-wheeler, find a way to get loose and then attached to a vehicle that makes frequent stops on the way.
><> Jeff
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