Watch Out for Flying Horses! ~ Debbie Doll
We were 4 ½ hours into our 5-hour trip home after taking our oldest daughter to college for her sophomore year. It had been a long, emotional day – as any parent of college-aged kids is aware. It was about 10 p.m. and my husband and I were tired, both emotionally and physically, and we just wanted to get home. After crawling through yet another small Wisconsin town, we had just accelerated to ‘actual driving speed’ when a semi came past us in the opposite direction. Without time to break or swerve, out of the corner of our eyes ‘something’ flew into – and then under- our car! When we finally got back on all four wheels my husband was able to get the car to the side of the road to a lurching stop. After checking on each other we tried to figure out what in the world had just happened. Another car had been driving behind us, and they stopped to check on us. After assuring the driver that we were okay, she then turned her headlights to find out what we had hit – or more accurately, what had hit us! The driver said, “I think it’s a cow….NO! It’s not a cow! IT’S A HORSE!” We were hit by a horse – a FLYING horse! Evidently, the semi going in the opposite direction had clipped the horse and it was thrown airborne into our car. (What the horse was doing in the middle of the road at 10 p.m. is still an unsolved mystery.)
WOW! What an adventure. After numerous chiropractic visits, my husband and I are miraculously fine. The same cannot be said of our car – or the flying horse.
Whenever we tell this story, most people will ask, “What happened to the semi driver? What did he say? What did he do?”
YES…. the cause of all this. What happened to him???
The answer: I have no idea. He didn’t stop. I do not think he had any idea what happened. I don’t think he had any idea the chain reaction his action had
caused. His actions did not affect only him. His decisions affected me, my husband, the owner of the horse, etc….
Of course, this event brought to mind the many stories in the Bible of people who were simply living their lives, not realizing the affect their decisions would have. There are 100’s of Biblical examples of good and bad choices, but here are several:
David: (2 Samuel 11) David chose to stay home from battle. He sinned with Bathsheba. He had Uriah killed to try to cover his sin. Because of his sin, his child died. His poor choices did not affect him alone.
Adam & Eve: (Genesis 3) They ate of the ONE tree that was off limits. Their sin changed the world!
Ruth: (Ruth 1) Ruth stayed with Naomi and didn’t go back home. She met and married Boaz. Boaz is in the genealogy of Jesus! Her good choice changed her life!
Mary: (John 12) Mary washed Jesus’ feet with her hair. This story is still told today 1,000 years later as an example of love and service. Her excellent choice continues to challenge Christians today!
Hannah: (I Samuel 1) Hannah begged God for a son and vowed to give that son to the Lord. Hannah kept her vow and her son was the prophet Samuel. Her admirable choice is still an example today for parents rearing their children for the Lord.
Our actions – good and bad – do not affect only us. Our decisions – good and bad – affect not only our lives, but the lives of those around us. My decisions to read my Bible, pray, clean my house, care for my husband and children, pass out
a Gospel tract, attend church, keep my attitude right and 100’s of other good decisions I make daily affect others. Likewise, my decisions to skip Bible reading and prayer, refusal to be the wife my husband needs me to be, to neglect care and discipline of my children, to ignore lost souls around me, skip church, allow bitterness to fester and 100’s of other poor (and perhaps even sinful and selfish) decisions I make affect others.
Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
Ladies, lets ask the Lord to guide every single step we take and every single decision that we make knowing that our decisions do not affect us alone.
Above all – be on the lookout for flying horses!!