mind you. The sticky stuff doesn’t even itch. But it’s those remarks I hear from other drivers that really embarrass me. The other week my owner went whiz zing by another car in a 25-mile zone, doing 50 miles an hour, kicking up so much dust and dirt all the other driv ers could see was my back bumper. “Why doesn’t that fellow practice what he preaches?” one man shouted. The other day my owner was upset with his wife. He took his temper out on me, bouncing over bumpy roads so fast that I sprained my left front knee action. Why, last week one of those teen-age hot-rodders tried to beat my owner at a green light. And he had to go three miles out of his way to get ahead to win the race! (Got so hot I nearly boiled out my last winter’s antifreeze!) His temper acts up most when an other driver cuts in on him, or honks when they think he’s not doing right. Recently, his son, little nine-year-old Billy, heard him. I know the lad was shocked, for he asked his dad why he talked like that. The father mumbled something about, “That’s the only kind of language some of those ‘bum’ drivers understand.” Know what? Next day I was parked at the front curb and saw the boys collide while riding on their bikes. Bill used the same words he heard his father use the day before. His little sister gasped when she heard them. But Billy assured her, “It’s okay, Sis. Dad says it’s the only kind of language some of those ‘bum’ drivers understand. If our father uses those words it must be okay. Remember, he’s a deacon in the church!” My owner, Mr. Christian, knows the rules on a stop sign but he seldom does more than just slow down. When his wife mentions it to him, he tries to joke it off by saying, “Oh well, I’ll stop twice next time!” He’s constantly vowing to change his driving habits, but never does. He had the nerve the other day to pray for a safe trip and then went 80 miles an hour most of the way. How inconsistent can you get? I heard a verse on my radio the other day that might apply. Let’s see, it was Matthew 7:20, “By their driving ye shall know them.” Sound like a strange version? Could well be, but that’s what happens actually. Driving can be a very tangible part of a Chris
tian’s life. That may be all some others see. Well, church is over, and here comes my owner. Hang on, the trip home’ll tell the story. Hey, what do ya know! He took time to pray before we started. Let’s see, something about asking God to make him a better testimony this time. Ouch, he actually stopped dead at that red light. Wasn’t quite ready for that, but it feels good anyway! Say, look at that, he’s staying unthin the speed limit. And what’s more, here comes a Christian program on the ra dio, instead of the usual ball game or popular music. This feels great! (My owner looks more confident of his con victions, too.) I like that Bible verse, “By their fruits ye shall know them!” DON’T SPEAK . . . LISTEN! It is fascinating to study the inter esting survey taken by the Women’s Residence Association of the Iowa State University. They distributed over iOO questionnaires s e e k in g to discover whether coeds would rather talk or listen. Ladies, how do you think you’d vote? Well, among these young women, 39 percent said that they would rather talk. A t the same time, 86 percent en joyed both talking and listening, while the other twenty-five percent just want ed to listen. Now if this proves any thing in a survey-conscious world, it shows us that most people, and this no doubt proves out for men, too, would rather talk than listen. The wise proph et of old rightly reminds us that there is a time to keep silence as well as a time to speak. Scripture further en joins us to be swift to hear and slow to speak. Isaiah, under the Holy Spir it’s inspiration, exhorts us, “Incline your ears, saith the Lord, and come unto me. Hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting cove nant with you.” Not only must we lis ten to the voice of God, but also we must allow our lives to speak for Him, telling others how great things the Lord has done for us. So may the Sav- When success turns a person’s head, he is facing failure.
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