I think a self-driving car would be cool.
In college I commuted with an electrical engineering student. Jack was convinced that we’d see self-driving cars within a few years, and he spent countless hours telling me how they would work.
I don’t recall details, but I remember there were two notions about guidance. I’m over-simplifying, but the first was that cars would follow some sort of track or wire, essentially being told exactly where to go. The second was that cars would learn what to avoid or where not to go. Cars would follow the safe, correct path by knowing where to not-go.
The first choice seemed like the obvious one to me, but Jack was convinced that, because of infrastructure issues, self-driving cars would eventually mostly use the avoidance strategy.
Fast-forward four decades, and Jack was right. Self-driving cars are here. And not just cars, other vehicles too. I read online that some automobile companies might be creating autonomous trucks as well, getting their technological solutions from companies that specialize in robotics, like Torc Robotics or similar others. These trucks initially would be for commercial use, like transporting various goods from one place to another. But eventually, I believe people would be able to own one for personal use as well. I’ve no clue how autonomous vehicles work, but I know I want one!
I thought about Jack as I rode my bike over the weekend, as I stared at the bike path and wondered about finding the path forward from the nasty personal quagmire that’s enveloped me for the past few days. Details don’t matter…this article explains it well…but at some point I need to find a path. I thought about Jack’s options, and a question emerged.
Will I define my path by what I follow…or by what I avoid?
Placed in those terms, the solution became crystal clear. Regardless of what works for self-driving cars, my path cannot be defined by what I oppose.
Avoiding the bad stuff is the way of the Pharisees. It’s following the rules, staying out of the ditches. Those aren’t bad things; they just don’t define the sort of path to which Jesus invited us.
Jesus didn’t say, “Avoid the darkness.” He said, “Follow the light.”
So, what defines my path?
I want to be known for hope.
I want to be known for generosity. I want to be known for faith, for obedience, for courage.
I want to be known for kindness ad compassion. And empathy.
I want to be known for all these things, and more. Thing is, right now the path isn’t all that clear or easy to follow.
But then, who ever said following dreams, or following Jesus, was easy?