A PARABLE ABOUT THREE DRIVERS

There were three drivers.  The first driver seemed to have trouble deciding how to stay in their lane.  This driver would be over the white line, at the edge of the road, and then would be over the center line.  This continued a long time.

The second driver was driving into the sun and had a towel over the windshield on the passenger’s side.  It is said that a pencil will hide a motorcycle.  This towel would have hidden a semi, a car pulling from a side street, or a child. 

The third driver was in a hurry.  Sixth in a line of traffic, this driver decided to pass on a double yellow line.  Others had to allow the driver to pull back into the correct lane when a car approached.  The driver, apparently no wiser, passed the remaining vehicles.  Shortly, the driver was pulled over by a police officer.

A PARABLE:  AN EARTHLY STORY WITH A HEAVENLY MEANING

Jesus told many parables and, more often than not, no one understood.  Sometimes Jesus explained a parable to the multitude and other times the explanation was only given to the disciples.  Allow me to explain the meaning of my attempt at writing a parable.

The first driver could not make a decision.  After reading about the miracles Jesus performed, they were moved and believed.  But, they also read articles claiming Jesus was just a prophet and not the Son of God.  That is how they lived their faith.  One day they believed and one day they did not. 

Did not the serpent speak to Eve and make her question what God told her?  The serpent said: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”  Eve told God:  “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”  (Genesis 3: parts of 1 and 13)  The first driver is the believer who cannot make a true stand for their beliefs because they also listen to a voice other than God’s.

The second driver was only interested in what was best for them.  They did not want the sun in their eyes and did not worry that others could suffer because of their actions. 

Did not the priest pass on the other side of the road?  Did not the Levite do the same?  They left the injured man on the side of the road.  (From Luke 10:30-37)  The second driver is the believer who considers their needs a top priority.  They cannot see that their actions/lack of actions can cause others to suffer or die.

The third driver wanted to be someplace fast.  They wanted to bypass anything that would hold them up.

Do we need to suffer?  Does not suffering produce perseverance?  Does not perseverance produce character?  Does not character produce hope?  (Romans 5: parts of verses 3-4)  The third driver is the believer who builds their house (faith) on sand.  (Matthew 7:26-27)  Without withstanding suffering to learn perseverance, build character, and find hope, the believer’s faith will not stand.  The rain and wind (the police officer) will cause their faith to crash.

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I attempted writing a parable because the Sunday School class I teach will begin studying the Parables this coming Sunday.  When I passed out the information, I suggested (aka told them) that at some time, during our study, they would write a parable.  I might change my mind on that assignment.  This was harder than I thought.  Jesus wins the Parable Category hands down!