He was a big man, with muscles like The Hulk and a fierce stare like the Terminator. I don’t remember inviting him into the back seat of my car, but there he was intimidating me from the back seat. He glared at me like I was some kind of idiot who didn’t know what I was doing but I’d been driving for years. Because of his appearance I didn’t even question his authority to be in my car.
“Turn here. You’re driving too fast. You’re driving too slow. Stop you idiot! What did you do that for? How did you get your license anyway? Just go through, no one’s looking…” His endless, barking commands bombarded my head, giving me a headache and leaving my stomach in knots. Worse, I’d followed some of his orders: some intentionally to shut him up, and others accidentally. This back seat driver was the worst passenger I’d ever had in my car and I’d put up with him far too long.
“Be quiet! Not one more word,” I ordered, and to my surprise he didn’t utter another word. Still, he glared from the back seat and used gestures to continue to irritate me, shaking my seat and threatening me with looks to get me to do what he wanted. After catching myself complying with what he wanted once again, I had enough. “That’s it!” I whipped over onto the side of the road and ordered him out. This massive, intimidating man got out without a word or fight and stood as I drove away.
For the first time in a long time I felt better… almost free. In the quiet I heard a whisper, “What took you so long…” I pondered the meaning of those five words for a long time and finally realized that I could have stopped the man in the back seat from speaking right from the start, and even kept the door locked so he couldn’t get in- in the first place. It was all my choice in the first place.
* * * * *
Though we can blame other people, our human nature or other factors in our decision making process, the truth remains: it is our choice. We can allow back seat drivers (our own carnal voice, the enemy’s voice, even friend’s voices ) to affect our choices, to send us in the wrong direction, doing the wrong things, or not doing the things we should, but in the end, we have the authority to tell those voices to ‘shut up’ and ‘get lost’. I didn’t say it’d be easy, but more and more I am finding, with practice, the word ‘no’ is easier to use.
… choose you this day whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Jos. 24:15
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Jam. 4:7
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Eph. 6:10-13
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 2Cor. 10:3-5