Different Car Features for Different Folks

It was time for a new family car. Our children were teenagers, so I figured we’d get the next larger model from the car we’d had since they were toddlers. “Oh, no Mom, we need a smaller car,” said the kids. The light bulb went off, and I agreed, better gas mileage had priority over more space.

After a bit of research, I went to a car dealer who sold compact models. A car salesman took me for a test run. He drove while continuing to “sell.” He was especially enthusiastic about one feature, how well the car can handle swerving on the road. I wasn’t too terribly impressed about how well any car took corners. I was noticing things like visibility, how many seatbelts there were in this car, and wow, it had automatic window openers, fancy…then all of a sudden, the car swerved so hard, that if I hadn’t had a seatbelt on, I’d of been in the salesman’s lap and back again against my door in 1.5 seconds. I bolted a, “You better do some fast explaining, buddy,” look at the driver. He quickly retorted, “I wanted to show you what this car can do, how well it can swerve.”

“I don’t care how well the car can handle a maniac driver,” I thought. And, I‘m sure he heard my thought, or read it on my face, because he toned down his enthusiasm and asked if I wanted to test drive the car. I tested it, and I did buy the car and drove it (like a mom chauffeuring around kids in a 4-door family car, no swerving) until the children were out of college, every day, glad I had a smaller car because they also make for easy parking.

Concordantly, when we’ve experience the positive force of spirituality in our everyday life, an enthusiasm sets in, however we can remember to temper human enthusiasm so it doesn’t become a willful zeal. We don’t have to “show” other people a particular feature of what spirituality can do. Spiritual enthusiasm is animated by wisdom, not unmindful authority. Every day we can feel our closeness to the Divine and reflect forward the many practical aspects of spirituality.