Proverbs 25:28
“Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.”
Have you ever read any of the Pigeon books? Mo Willems’ popular children’s book series includes titles such as Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late and The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog. The series is popular for a reason. They’re original and funny and so much fun to read aloud together. They’re all wonderful, but if we had to choose a favorite it would probably be Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.
The book starts with the bus driver addressing the reader. He needs to step away from his bus for a few minutes, would we mind keeping an eye on it? He is grateful for our help and offers only one specific instruction: Don’t let the Pigeon drive the bus. Turn the page, enter the Pigeon. He spends the whole book trying different tactics to convince us that he is trustworthy and we should let him drive the bus. We can all imagine, though, what would happen if we did. So we resist, no matter how hard it is, until the bus driver comes back.
We use this simple story when we are helping our kids learn to handle their feelings. When emotions run high and they are losing control, we remind them:
Don’t let the feelings drive the bus.
Even as adults, I think we all need this reminder sometimes. We surrender control and let our feelings steer our actions. Fear is one of the worst culprits when it comes to grabbing the wheel and taking over. Alternatively, we attempt to kick our emotions off the bus entirely, pretending they aren’t a part of us and we can leave them on the sidewalk when we drive away. This is actually another way of letting our feelings control us – that we spend tremendous focus and energy on acting as though they’re not there. When we try to kick the feelings to the curb, it is still our emotions that are dictating our actions.
Feelings are a part of us and they have every right to be on the bus. We can and should interact with them, for they have much to teach us and a story to tell that we need to hear. But letting them drive the bus is asking for trouble, sort of like letting an excitable cartoon pigeon take a turn behind the wheel.
The Bible has plenty to say about self-control. I love this verse from Proverbs because the image of broken city walls fits in with my mental picture of an out-of-control bus being driven by an unqualified driver. Obviously the original text has nothing to do with buses, and more to do with weakened defenses, but I think they are both true. Our defenses are weakened due to the damage caused when we lack self-control.
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23). It is something that the Spirit grows in us, which means that ultimately it should be the Holy Spirit who is driving the bus.
I am an inexperienced driver when it comes to driving our RV. I’m working on learning, but I know my limits. On narrow or steep mountain roads, on windy days, and in city traffic, I need to let Staffan drive. It would be silly – if not dangerous – to keep the more experienced driver in the passenger seat while I struggle through a situation that I am not equipped to handle.
In the same way, it is possible to invite the Holy Spirit into our lives (to get on the bus), but not to give him control (let him drive). He will patiently sit in the passenger seat if we ask him to, while the loud voices of our fears demand to drive. Life is seldom a wide, flat, straight highway that’s easy to drive on, but 2020 feels like a winding road beside a cliff, with no guardrail, on a blustery day, with a lot of traffic. We cannot make the mistake of getting our driver and passengers mixed up.
Fear will drive us off the cliff. The Holy Spirit is a calm, confident, experienced driver who knows the road well.
So who’s driving the bus?
Moment of Beauty
If you haven’t heard the story of Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, or if it’s been a while since you heard it, enjoy this read aloud version:
Be First to Comment