Over the last two years, I have witnessed some of the most bizarre and irrational driving behaviors than ever. During the pandemic, we have seen all sorts of behavior changes in almost every area of existence. There is something about the pandemic that has evidently triggered some anxiety in our psychological being. Highways have become a death trap, rather than a place of safety.   

The one area I wish to concentrate on this morning is highway safety. When you leave home these days to get on the highway, regardless of whether it is on the freeway or a lonely country back road, pray for God’s covering going and coming. It is frightening to be in the company of some of these idiotic drivers. More and more, I am observing vehicles passing on the shoulder lane to get in front of the traffic. Red traffic lights don’t mean a thing to some people. Persons can be stopped at the red traffic light and become impatient and go through the light knowing it is red and dangerous. On a back country road, drivers will get right on your bumper as if they are trying to force you to drive faster or get you off the highway. In some cases, I find it safer to pull over onto a safe area and let them by. Have you seen the ones on the Beltway that are weaving in and out at a high rate of speed? Have you witnessed those at the traffic light get in the yield lane to avoid the red traffic light and then reenter the highway in front of you? A double yellow line in the highway is just a waste of paint. 

Driving the speed limit is no longer advised because whatever the posted speed limit is, no one is adhering to it anyway. Too often when driving the speed limit, others will literally push you off the highway if you are not driving at the same pace or speed. You may be in danger if you drive too slow or too fast.

Something else on the highway that has become a hazard are these ATV’s and dirt bikes. Recently in Waldorf, I witnessed a young man on a dirt bike travel at least one mile on one wheel. The fear I had was that he would first of all kill himself and in doing so accidently run into me or someone else head on.

What is my point in this message? We can’t control the behavior of others, but we can do all in our power to drive safely and to advise our love ones to do the same. Another suggestion is to never attempt to take action when someone is not adhering to traffic laws. Far too many persons have been beaten or shot in doing so. The best thing we can do is to ignore the erratic behavior and stay as safe and calm as possible. Keep your fingers down!

Are there times you wish you were a police officer and you could turn your red and blue lights on to stop the culprits? If so, eliminate that thought, for too many of our law enforcers are losing their lives to these absurd drivers. Road rage has to involve more than one person, therefore make sure you are not a guilty party in a road rage. If you think about doing something crazy, don’t do it!   

It just drives me crazy when I see someone driving like they have lost their minds, but their tags or a sign in the window reads, “Jesus is my passenger!” The way some drive, I believe Jesus would rather walk.

There is a highway in the Bible that we hear a great deal about. It is called the highway of holiness. Isaiah 35:8 says, “It will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not travel on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.” This road will be traveled and reserved for only the righteous in God’s sight.

The highway of holiness is a safe place, reserved for the redeemed of the Lord. “No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return” (Isaiah 35:9-10). It will be a place of peace, safety and joy.  

The highway of holiness will be a place of joy: “They will enter Zion with singing, everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah 35:10).

If you wish to travel this highway of holiness one day, slow down and be patient. Our Christian journey should be like driving on a highway. obeying all the laws. We, on our journey, should obey all the laws and commands of God. Slow down, for God sees us!

Not a sermon, just my thoughts!

Robert Earl Slade, Pastor