Early this past Spring I had a conversation with my 13 year-old-daughter riding home from softball practice. She was frustrated with her play on the field during practice that night. She had just moved up an age division, and the competition had become much more intense. She had had a rough night, and it had been a bumpy start to the season. I asked her, “which is bigger, the windshield or the rearview mirror?” “Here we go again,” she though, “another lesson from dad the preacher.” She wouldn’t say anything, so I answered for her. “Of course the windshield is much bigger than the rearview mirror.” Do you know why? She finally responded, “because you need to see where you’re going more than what is behind you.” Exactly right. Of course I was trying to tell her to spend more time thinking about the next practice, the next game, the next time she put her glove on her hand.
I recently read a piece from another pastor who used the same illustration. Peter Marty even measured his windshield and rearview mirror. His rearview mirror, he says, is 9 inches by 2 inches, and his windshield is 5 feet by 3 feet. He says this is because “drivers benefit from having an optimal view of where they’re headed.”
It is easy to spend time looking in the rearview mirror. Considering and rehashing mistakes, successes, fights, failures, struggles, wins, hurts, and joys, all visible in the rearview mirror. And, there is value in looking at where we have been. But we should spend the vast majority of our time looking where we are going. Individuals and churches can spend so much time gazing into the rearview mirror. Remembering what has been, good and bad, and spending little time looking to where we are going.
By all accounts most churches have had a tough couple of years since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Specifically, May Memorial has had a bumpy couple of years. Pandemic, regathering, more pandemic, heating boiler breakdown and no heat, and then a serious staff issue. Bumpy is an understatement. And even in the midst of these bumps, there have been great joys and blessings. The joy of fellowship and community, missions (Just Kids!), baptisms, new members, new staff members, and the steadfast presence of God leading and speaking. These are great joys. And it is always easy to keep looking back. To the “good old days,” or the “bad old days.” To spend our time in the “remember whens.”
The call is to keep our eyes looking through the windshield, to what lies ahead, to where we are going. Yes, glance in the rearview mirror, considering wonderful memories and learned lessons, but our eyes should be focused on what God has in store.
Paul puts it this way, “My friends, I don't feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so I can win the prize of being called to heaven.”
As a church, as individuals, let us look ahead, let us run toward the goal. When we look through our windshield we see that God is at work, and the incredible good news is that we can join Him in that work.