What Do You Do at a Green Light?

I believe that the world is divided into two kinds of people. Those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don't. With that in mind...

For many years the following was true- if I was in a car I was driving it. I love to drive. In addition to personal vehicles, much of life was spent compiling hundreds of thousands of miles driving church vans. But during much of the past 7 years (until April of 2014) I had not been driving as much. When a speeding ticket could mean jail time as it did in my case, you become very willing to leave the driving to others. Watching other people drive was a unique experience in many ways. You learn so much about them. And today I want to focus on one aspect of driving- What do you do when you come to green light?

My research had led me to the belief that there are two kinds of drivers when it comes to green lights. There are the ones who see a green light and approach at full speed, unconcerned that it could change at any moment, never considering that they might not make it through before the dreaded yellow light appears. These driver are bold and confident. They expect good things to happen to them. They refuse to be negative.

The other type of driver approaches a green light by slowing down. They immediately doubt that the green light will hold long enough for them to make it through. There are negative thoughts in their minds, and caution in their foot- often tapping the brakes (or at least removing their foot from the accelerator) even as the light is still green. They EXPECT to have to stop. And because they slow down and hesitate, they often do stop, thus reinforcing their own expectations for the next traffic light.

Each of these styles comes with built in issues. The Green Means GO drivers like myself often accelerate through lights, occasionally running them when they are bright yellow- or sometimes pink. The more cautious crowd tends to occasionally clog up intersections and draw the ire if people like me, who scream into their windshields things like, "the light is green you moron!" Although it drives me crazy, there is no right or wrong way. It's just part of who you are, part of your personality as a driver and human being. And thus we reach my question for us all today...

Which style best defines the way you live life? Are you a charging bull, unfazed by warning signs or doubts that you could be wrong? Do you see life as opportunity to go for it and grab all the gusto you can? Or are you more the "slow down and see what awaits you" type. Do you not even need warning signs to make you cautious? Is every situation one that needs to be approached with care and thought? Bottom line- are you more an optimist or a pessimist when it comes to the road of life? 

Me? I not only believe the glass is half full, I believe it comes with free refills! This attitude gets me in trouble quite often, and leads to the occasional broken dream and bloody nose. I leap before I look far more often than I should. I know I should pray for guidance and wait for wisdom more that I do. On the other extreme, those who slow down for the green lights of life are often paralyzed by fear, too seldom taking chances or those sometimes necessary "steps you can't take back." Sometimes God does say "wait." But other times God just wants us to GO! Like most things in life, it's all about finding balance and finding peace with who you are and with the God who made you this way. 

So today pay attention to yourself or to your driver. What do you do at a green light? It say a lot about who you are...

Because of Jesus,