Who is in your “car?”

(Source Below)

On September 5, 1989, a horrible car accident took place in the eastern United States. A car with several passengers was driving on a steep mountain highway when the driver lost control. The car careened off the road, over the sheer cliff, and plunged more than sixty feet into the gully below. While there were concussions, broken bones, and minor lacerations, remarkably, no one died.

When I first heard the story on the news, I couldn’t believe I had correctly heard the specifics. And once I learned the details, the story became that much more incredible. The car was filled with fourteen passengers—eleven of them children. This was not a van or an SUV; this was a midsize car. The passengers had literally stuffed themselves into the car. This reminded me of my childhood when we would regularly shove, twist, and pack nine or ten into the back seat of my parents’ Pontiac. When the drive-in movie theater charged per car and not per person, making yourself a human sardine was a small sacrifice.

When the car went off the cliff, though it spun in midair, by the grace of God the tires landed nearly flush. And although there was an incredible impact that caused serious injury, all fourteen survived. Medical personnel consulted with engineers to discuss the “miracle,” and together they concluded that because the car was full, the occupants literally acted as shock absorbers for one another. The impact of the crash was shared by all. Furthermore, they determined that if the car had eleven or fewer occupants, the odds were high that everyone would have been killed instantly.

The story caused me to consider who is in my car. Crashes are inevitable. Who are the faithful friends with me in my car? I can name a number of friends for whom I am immensely grateful. Woe to the one who crashes and finds that he is in his car alone. Commit to risking friendship. The benefits are eternal.

Source – Survive or Thrive: 6 Relationships Every Pastor Needs (PastorServe Series)

Jimmy Dodd