For several reasons, I hated when our children got their driver’s license.  Of course, there was the problem of safety. Now the crazy teenage idiots driving wildly through our neighborhood were my children.  But the other reason was that I learned so much about my offsprings when I was taking them to and from school or driving them and their friends to church.

When they were young, I learned to keep my mouth shut and listen when I was taking them and their friends to appointments.  It was as though they forgot I was in the car; and they talked freely about any number of interesting things.  When they became teenagers, this was the one time that they would openly talk with me within hearing distance.

Transporting the members of Special Gathering is part of what we do.  Most of our members who are mentally challenged do not drive.  Therefore, operating van routes is normal operation for ministries who work with individuals who are intellectually disabled.  I actually love transporting our folks because as it was with my children, there is a breaking down of barriers that happens when you are required to be in the close confines of a vehicle with a group of people.

One morning as I picked up the members of our choir, I was excited.  The official NFL Super Bowl Blog site had picked up one of the blogs I had written and they were recommending it.  The words, “excellent blog”  left a thrilling, acidic taste in my throat.  After two of our sports fans got on the van, I told them about the blog being recommended by the NFL blog site.  They barely blinked.

Later in our journey, I remembered the missions conference I had attended at Riverside Church in Sebastian on Friday night.  Reinhard Bonnke, the world-renowned evangelist, had been the guest speaker.  We had sat back to back at different tables during the conference meal.  After he spoke and returned to his seat, I was able to thank him, shake his hand and introduce myself.

After picking everyone up, I got a phone call.  When we had concluded our business, I told my caller about the NFL Blog site.  Looking through the rear view mirror, I saw one of passengers, Steve, yawn.  Then I told my caller about meeting Rev. Bonnke.  Steve sat up.  He was suddenly listening, interested and excited.  As I hung up the phone, he asked,   “You met Reinhard Bonnke?”  There was an undeniable tone of astonished admiration in his voice.  “I can’t believe that YOU met Reinhard Bonnke!”

“You know who Reinhard Bonnke is?” I asked.

“Of course, I know who he is.”  There was a tone of disappointed unbelief in Steve’s voice.  How could I consider him ignorant of who this godly man is.  “He is the evangelist who has led millions of people to Jesus in Africa.”

As stirred as I was with the events of the weekend, I was much more amazed with Steve.  Once again, my members had shown me what is important and valid in this life.  A few NFL fans reading the blog is interesting but meeting the man of God is astounding.

What have you learned about your family members as you transported them?  Better yet, what have they learned about you?  And the best, what great life lesson have you learned from them during your time in a vehicle?