Even the Muffler Burns Were Worth It

 

When I was a child, our family camped often. We belonged to a camping club called The Lone Star Gypsies, and every trailer had a painted sign on the back showing that we were part of the group.

Camping was an adventure for us, and one of my favorite adventures was learning to ride motorcycles. We had a blue Honda, and I was tiny. The motorcycle felt enormous underneath me, but I loved it. Once I figured out how to balance it, I wanted to ride every trail and climb every hill.

Some of those hills were steep, and learning to ride them required learning when to brake and when to accelerate. Too little gas and the motorcycle would lose power and begin to fall. Too much and the front wheel could lift off the ground. I also had to learn how to handle curves and slow down when the trail became covered with gravel.

I crashed plenty of times. And then there were the muffler burns. If I didn't get out of the way quickly enough when the motorcycle tipped over, I could end up with a painful reminder on my leg. Ouch! But I kept getting back on because I loved riding.

Looking back, I am especially grateful for the way my parents taught me. They showed me what to do, then they let me practice. They didn't hover or panic when I wobbled or fell. They gave me room to learn.

I think that is a lot like the way God teaches us.

Life has hills, curves, gravel, and plenty of opportunities to lose our balance. God teaches us, guides us, and gently nudges us, but He also lets us practice. Sometimes we need to slow down. Sometimes we need to move forward. Sometimes we make a mistake and fall. And sometimes we collect a few spiritual muffler burns along the way.

But falling isn't failing. It's learning.

The more time we spend with God through prayer, scripture, quiet reflection, and paying attention to His promptings, the more familiar His voice becomes.

My parents knew I would fall sometimes, but they also knew I could learn. I believe God sees us the same way. He knows we won't get everything right, but He delights when we get back up and try again.

There will be hills. There will be curves and gravel. There will be bumps, bruises, and maybe even a few muffler burns. But there will also be joy.

And maybe the goal isn't to make it through life without falling. Maybe the goal is to keep learning, keep trusting, keep getting back on, and enjoy the ride.