Riding in the Wrong Tesla

After my flight landed in Vancouver, Canada, I texted Peter, who was appointed with the task of picking me up, indicating that I arrived safely.
Peter promptly replied, asking me to call him after I successfully passed through customs —then he would give me next steps.

After making it through customs I called Peter.
He was lively, jovial and seemed genuinely excited to meet me:

“After you exit the airport doors, walk across the walkway, past the two lanes of traffic, look to your left and behind the big red tent, you will see my blue Tesla.”

“Great, see you in a minute.” I hung up.

I exited the airport and sure enough, there was the walkway.
I proceeded through the two lanes of traffic, saw the red tent, looked left…but there was no Tesla.

Determining that I had not walked far enough, I proceeded a bit further into the parking ramp…nevertheless, no blue Tesla.

I turned around to retrace my steps when Peter called, “Hey, you went too far. Come back toward the airport. My blue Tesla is sitting in the traffic lane closest to you.”

“Great, see you in a minute.” I hung up.

Sure enough, as I walked toward the airport, I spotted the blue Tesla.
I waved to Peter, opened the back passenger door, threw my backpack into the back seat and settled into the passenger seat.
Peter proceeded to drive.

There was no small talk.
He seemed more silent, distant, and less jovial than when I spoke with him on the phone.
As we were exiting the airport, attempting to make small talk I asked, “How is the conference shaping up?”
Peter responded sharply, “I don’t know.”

Okay that is awkward. “Maybe he just received some bad news between the time we spoke and the moment I entered his car”, I thought.
More uncomfortable silence.

Again, attempting to make conversation with my new friend I asked, “Do you know how many men will be attending?”
Tersely Peter retorted, “how would I know.”

Hmmm. I began to think that something wasn’t right.

Then, the thought, like lightning, crashed upon my very slow mind, “Devin, you are in the wrong Tesla.”
Just as I was processing that thought, my phone rang. It was Peter, “Devin, you are in the wrong blue Tesla!”

The driver, overhearing Peter shouted: “You are in the wrong blue Tesla!?!?”
Serious obscenities commenced from my new driver friend.

That’s when I jumped out and briskly walked to the gas station and waited for the correct blue Tesla.

Many of us, think we are in the right Tesla.
It is the specified color, located in the right place, at the right time.
It has the appearance of taking us somewhere—where we want to go—but in the end, it is the wrong car and going to the wrong destination.

Like the blue Teslas, the world and Word appear to be very similar.

Both are kingdoms and have power.
Both have rulers.
Both promise joy, fulfillment, reward, peace, and a better future and better life.
But only one can deliver on that promise.

The world and the Word are very similar visually.
The only difference in the two words is the letter ‘l’ which stands for lie.

The world offers the deception that you can avoid pain, suffering, and live on a continual dopamine drip that consoles and sedates you from the Truth that this is not heaven; that you are not made for this world, and this world cannot make you.

This avoidance of sacrifice, pain, and suffering is a long wide road that leads to eternal suffering, pain and loss.

If the world is like a locomotive train, we Christians often stick a large bumper sticker on the side cars that say something like I love Jesus or John 3:16.
But the train is the same worldly train, going down the same worldly tracks.
It has the appearance of being Christian and touts a Christian message, but in the final analysis, it operates just like the world.
Its destination is hell.

The Word offers the truth that it is absolutely necessary to embrace—up front—pain, suffering, sacrifice and loss of your pride, your self-seeking disposition, self-idolatry if you want eternal consolation, reward, life, bliss and joy.

Which Tesla are you riding in?
Is it time to get out of the wrong one and into the right one?

Have you ever pondered why the world’s promises and maxims never fulfill and satiate your greater desires?
Because they can’t.

Only God can.

Your eternal destination is the primary thing that matters.
Every decision you make determines which train your riding and where those train tracks are going.