Bold

I am trying to think of a way to describe our automotive experiences in India. My friend, Judy, said it was like Nascar and that her husband would love it. The weaving in and out of vehicles and the speed at which we did those things makes that a good comparison. The only thing is that we were not wearing helmets and there were no ambulances standing by. There weren't any seatbelts either. With one close call, we were almost airborne. While Judy sang the chorus of "Jesus Take the Wheel", I tried not to look. At one point, to avoid my first panic attack, I covered my eyes, shrank in my seat, donned my sister Rachel's IPod and listened to "God of the Promise".


The bus that we spent all of our time riding in was rented especially because it had air-conditioning. We had it the whole week. If you caught our first video, you saw it being pulled out of a mud hole. On the second or 3rd day of clinic, Dr. Mike checked the driver's vision. It was much less than perfect. When we went to ride the bus back to Bishop House, the driver wasn't wearing the glasses Dr. Mike gave him.

After a little discussion, we all decided that we were probably better off if he didn't wear them. We were alive so far and we didn't want him adjusting to his new glasses with us in tow.

There are no traffic rules in India as far as I could tell. The closest thing to a rule was the statement, "Please use horn" painted on the back bumper of every truck. Yes, using the horn is a courtesy. It means, "I'm comin' through!" We were literally a few inches from other vehicles more times than I like to recall.

To be a driver in India and get anywhere, you have to be bold (a little crazy too, maybe). My trusty Oxford desk dictionary defines bold as "confidently, assertive; adventurous; brave".

The Bible talks a lot about boldness. The Old Testament is full of bold chicks like Rahab, Ruth, and Esther. The New Testament is full of boldness too. Paul mentions in I Thessalonians that even though they had been persecuted and were criticized for it they were "bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God". In Hebrews, the author reminds us that "we may boldly say: The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'"

I have to admit that boldness does not come naturally to me. If I was a driver in India, I probably wouldn't get anywhere. But I want to be bold for Christ. I want to speak for those who have no voice. I want to stand up in the face of persecution. I want to share His gospel. Today, I am praying for God to work within my heart and give me the boldness I do not have on my own.

Will you be bold with me today? No driving required. Jesus has the wheel.