use your brakes…
on vacation, someone (probably holiday) thought it would be great if all 3 families, all 14 of us – 6 adults and 8 kids, went on a run together…the adults run (with baby joggers as needed) and the kids ride their bikes. being the huge fan of running that i am, i volunteered to stick with cozy believing that she would keep the most appropriate pace. i was right – the adults took off with the other kids pedaling fast behind them and cozy and me bringing up the rear, cozy walking her bike down the driveway to the trail.
now, i don’t like to run but cozy’s sub-walking pace was a little slow (even for me) so i encouraged her to actually get on her bike and ride it. she informed me that she didn’t like to ride down the hills, only on the flat ground or uphill. looking ahead and seeing a trail that wound it’s way up and down through trees and fields i knew that my incredible patience would never sustain this pace with cozy constantly getting on and off her bike, walking and pedaling at ridiculously short intervals. i instructed cozy to get on her bike and ride like the wind but she refused again, this time with a little more ‘passion’. i asked her why she wouldn’t ride, what she was afraid of, and she informed me that she didn’t know how to use her brakes and felt out of control going downhill. “cozy, today is the day you learn to use your brakes”, i said…
i spent some time with her, lifting up the back of her bike to let her pedal and showing her how to stop the rear wheel. then i set it down and walked beside her while she pedaled slowly and then stopped, gradually increasing the distance between stops – 10ft, then 50ft, then 30 yds, then 50yds, etc. then it was time for the real test – a slight downhill into a long straightaway. cozy timidly and slowly let the bike coast into the downhill, then let it go faster realizing this was magic because she didn’t even have to pedal to move. her fear turned to joy, her tears to laughter as she learned how to control her bike and exercise her new-found freedom. that joy and freedom gradually turned into a self-confidence (and casualness) that caused her to turn her head, talk with her friends, show off a little bit, and eventually steer into the weeds and gravel.
as i reflected on my journey with cozy, i see glimpses of my journey with Jesus. he asks me my fears, stays with me, helps me overcome them, and as soon as i feel confident and in control it creates a casualness where i get lazy, show off for friends, and exercise my freedom in a way that leads me off the trail.
listen, trust, learn…let Jesus teach and lead you through fear and difficulty…but when you are coasting through the trees and fields don’t become self-confident and casual in your journey…
