Back-Seat Drivers

There are two kinds of car passengers. One kind usually looks on their phone, listens to music, or sleeps nearly every car ride. The other kind helps drive the car by communicating to the driver how they should turn, what they should watch out for, and how fast they should be going. No matter the location in the car of the second kind of passenger, this person is commonly referred to as the “back-seat driver.” Aren’t back-seat drivers the best? I never understood why the first car was not designed with another steering wheel because it would be much more helpful to have two people steering the car instead of one. Seriously speaking, I don’t think I have ever met a licensed driver that enjoys having a back-seat driver in the car. Cars (not including the Driver’s Ed car) were designed with one steering wheel, one gas pedal, and one brake pedal for a reason. If it only takes one person to drive the car, what’s the deal with back-seat drivers?

More times than not, back-seat drivers just want to feel safe, and although they know they aren’t driving the car, they want to ensure the driver knows it’s important to drive safely for everyone in the car. However, no matter the plans or the well intentions of the back-seat driver, really only the driver can control the car. At the end of the day, there is a significant amount of trust we place in a driver when we are the passengers.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” The old saying, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans” certainly applies here. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Our lives are often like a car ride riddled with anxiety, sharp turns, easy turns, no turns, stops, and for some of us…full speed ahead. I imagine God gets a little annoyed with us when we try to tell Him how to “drive” our lives, but He loves us anyway. Don’t be afraid to buckle up in the back seat, and trust God to take you where you need to go.

-Jacob

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