Blind Spot

For a few years I drove the car of my dreams, a silver Jeep Wrangler. I've never really been much of a car person ... as long as it was mechanically sound and didn't cost me a lot of money in maintenance or repairs, I didn't care what kind of car it was or what color it was or whether or not it was "cool." And then I got my Wrangler, and I fully understood what it meant to fall in love with a car. I loved everything about my Jeep (except the gas mileage) ... I loved the color, sitting up high above the road, the manual transmission, the four-wheel drive option when it snowed, and I especially loved putting the top down and feeling the wind in my hair and the sun on my face on a beautiful warm day. And quite honestly, I miss that car every day ... I know that sounds ridiculous, but I do ... I miss my beloved Wrangler.
 
I now drive a black Jeep Patriot and get double the gas mileage as I did in my Wrangler. It has power windows and remote entry, heated seats, a sunroof, lots and lots of room for hauling mulch or groceries or dogs … the perfect car for an over 50-something gal. And yet, it’s just a car to me … not a Wrangler, not a dream car, just a car. It wasn’t long after I traded in my Wrangler for the Patriot (one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done, by the way) that I noticed a huge flaw in the design of the Patriot. There are two major blind spots … spots on the right side of the car where you absolutely cannot see if there’s another car in the lane next to you. I’ve learned to make adjustments accordingly and be extremely careful before I change lanes, but when someone else drives my car, I find myself constantly reminding them about the field of vision issues.

Today as I was driving, my mind was wandering and I started to change lanes without double-checking to make sure there wasn’t another car next to me. Thankfully, the person in the lane beside me laid on his horn as I began to pull over, and I immediately tugged on the steering wheel and stayed in my lane and avoided causing an accident. As I continued driving, I couldn’t help but think about the blind spots that exist in my life … situations or circumstances that prevent me from seeing clearly, areas that demand that I check and recheck before I move or make a change. Perhaps most important of all, I’ve thought about the places in my heart and mind and soul where I simply choose to have blind spots … the places where I don’t see what God has placed around me, the things He is calling me to do, or where He wants me to go.

Here’s the thing about blind spots … they are dangerous. If I don’t pay attention, they can have serious and devastating consequences. If I’m not careful, they can wreak havoc on every part of my life. If I choose to ignore them, they can cause hurt and injury not only to me but to those around me as well.

Help me to keep my eyes and my heart open, Lord ... to look at You, to follow You … get rid of my blind spots, Lord, make me see You.