Earn the Keys!

We serve a God of incredible, miraculous power. In Jeremiah 32:27, He states: “Behold, I am the Lord…is there anything too hard for Me?” The answer is no!

This is the Being who made the heavens and Earth. He created you and me. Jesus Christ made this point clear by stating “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26).

BUT there is something God will not do. He will not miraculously issue you a driver’s license!

No, a license to drive will not supernaturally appear in your wallet or purse. You have to go through the process like everyone else.

At this point, you may be thinking, Why are we discussing God when talking about the subject of driver’s licenses?

While God would never miraculously hand you that plastic rectangle that gives you the freedom to drive a vehicle alone, He does want to miraculously open doors of opportunity to you. He wants you to have a good-paying job, the ability to assist Church members, or even to have more freedom to explore your interests.

All of these things hinge on you putting the time and effort into obtaining a driver’s license.

Let’s put it another way: The only barrier between you claiming some of God’s many blessings is the one you create by deciding not to get your driver’s license as soon as you are able.

For example, take interacting with others—a crucial element in God’s plan for us to develop His character. God may want to bless you with a car so you can accept invitations to get together with other youth in the Church, brethren, friends and relatives. You could help with driving to Church-related events, Sabbath services and even to the Feast.

If asked, you could pick up groceries for elderly brethren or your grandparents. You could also help with a move by driving belongings in a moving truck, or assist by driving another person’s car, or even to use your own vehicle. What about emergency situations that require someone who can drive?

Such opportunities are almost entirely lost if you are unable to drive. Understanding the benefits should motivate you to plot a course now and prepare to get behind the wheel!

Why Bother?

Maybe you, like other teenagers, have concluded, “Why get a driver’s license? I can’t get a car without a job and I can’t get a job without a car. So why bother at this point?” Or, “If I can get a job that does not need personal transportation, why take the time?” This kind of thinking is not uncommon among youth today.

An article in The Wall Street Journal titled “Driving? The Kids Are So Over It” stated this: “The percentage of teens with a driver’s license has tumbled in the last few decades.” The article pointed out that the number of 16-year-olds with driver’s licenses dropped from 25 out of every 100 in 1983 to 13 out of every 100 in 2017.

Why?

The article brought part of the answer: “Whereas a driver’s license once was [seen as] a symbol of freedom, teenagers [today] are reaching their driving age at a time when most have access to ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft to shuttle them around town. At the same time, social media and video chat let them hang out with friends without actually leaving the house.”

Another reason for your generation putting off learning to drive are tougher laws for young drivers. For decades, one could simply take the written exam, receive a driving permit, and come back on his or her 16th birthday to take a driving test. That was it! If you passed your driving test, you were issued a license.

Yet these undertrained drivers led to a spike in car accidents.

Beginning in the mid-2000s, most states placed “high risk” permit driver limitations such as no driving at night or no driving at any time without an adult, in addition to restrictions on the number of family and friends who could be in the car while driving with a permit. States went so far as to require signed affidavits stating that a minimum number of driving hours with an adult (21 and over) and a minimum number of in-class training hours had been completed by the teenager.

While these measures did reduce accident-related deaths for teens, it also pushed many to put off learning to drive. The reason? In most states, once they turned 18, they would not have to jump through the same hoops.

All of these reasons for putting off getting a driver’s license seem pretty reasonable: “I can just call an Uber,” “The process is so much easier after I am 18,” and “I can pretty much do everything I need to using the internet at home.”

Yet remember being mobile can open you up to God’s blessings. In addition, there is another big reason you should not wait…

Like Keys to a Kingdom

My own story helps set the stage for the final reason you should not delay. After turning 15, my life focus turned almost exclusively toward achieving one objective: getting my driver’s license!

I could not wait.

In the months leading up to my driver’s test, my life seemed to be inching toward what I saw as wonderful new realities: not having to ride the bus home, not having my parents drop me off or pick me up from sports practice, and not having to “bum” a ride from a classmate or teammate to get somewhere.

I was also looking forward to hanging out with friends somewhere other than at home…FINALLY!

I counted down the days leading up to my 16th birthday with more enthusiasm than counting the number of school days left before summer vacation. Thinking back to that moment when that first picture license was placed in my hands, I felt like a prince who was just crowned king and given the keys to the kingdom. The world—or at least the small town in western Pennsylvania where I grew up—was mine!

There were few events more exciting than being told by the examiner, “You passed.” No sweeter sounding words.

Looking back, most of my reasons for wanting my license were admittedly self-focused. Back then, it felt like public humiliation if you had to have your family or friends drive you around.

While the stigma of riding the bus or having Mom drop you off is not quite the same today, having your driver’s license means others do not have to spend time constantly shuttling you around.

In other words, it is an act of kindness to be able to transport yourself from one place to another.

More Than Just a License to Drive

Beginning in seventh grade, I remember debating with schoolmates over which cars were the “best.” My classmates and I dreamed out loud about one day owning our favorite cars and very soon owning any car when we got to high school. It did not take long to figure out which ones were just dreams and which were not. Those who only spoke about their dream cars eventually went on to dreaming about other things.

But there were some, I recall, that converted their dreams into goals and their goals into cars by the time they turned 16. They understood that vehicles did not just magically appear in the driveway. Those who really wanted a car made the effort to find out how much it cost. This would become their financial target. They would work backward from their 16th birthday to figure out how much they had to make each summer to buy a used car or at the very least have enough for a down payment on a new one.

Those who only dreamed about their favorite cars usually ended up sitting around bored with “nothing to do.” The ones whose goal was to buy a car took it upon themselves to find work on a local farm before or after school. Some did odd jobs like cutting grass in the summer, shoveling snow in the winter, or running a paper route. And some did almost all of the above. Whatever it took!

Looking back, such individuals developed the life skill of discipline. They would not just work to earn money, but also to save. On the other hand, some teens whose parents gave them money or allowances to spend did not focus on saving—they spent it as fast as they received it. They were unconcerned with earning money, much less saving money. They were more focused on going to see the latest movie or buying the latest video game or hanging out at the local pizza joint to spend their parents’ hard-earned money.

In contrast, the teens who were focused on buying that first car were less likely to waste their own hard-earned money. They were more disciplined.

Years later, as the “saver” group was approaching 16, it was obvious that all their efforts would have been for naught if they did not obtain their licenses! In the end, they got more than a license to drive, they secured a license to make a living.

The unintended outcomes of working to buy a car and getting a license included developing the ability to set a financial goal, displaying self-initiative, and demonstrating personal discipline toward achieving a goal. These are all qualities that reflect maturity and an ability to deal with some of the challenges of life.

All of these life lessons are built into the process of getting a driver’s license and purchasing a car.

Now that You Passed…

Parents are certainly relieved when they no longer have to drop off and pick up their children where they need to go. More important, parents are pleased to see their children developing into young adults who are also earning a license—if you will—to take on new challenges. The time leading up to taking the driver’s test and successfully passing involves passing many other first-time challenges.

Training for and obtaining a driver’s license early demonstrates to others—including employers—that you are different than most other 16-year-olds. Qualifying to operate a vehicle before most kids your age speaks loudly about your reliability and makes you stand out.

Most adults appreciate what it takes to obtain a driver’s license. They know that it involves much more than simply passing a written exam and successfully completing an in-car test. Nowadays—as stated previously—a student driver has a lot to accomplish before even being issued a license. There is studying and practicing for months under a provisional license. A teenager must learn to reorganize and prioritize his or her schedule significantly to accommodate training and preparing. You must be willing—under the stress of driving a 3,000-to-5,000-pound piece of metal and plastic—to take instructions from others in real time as you travel down the road at speeds of 70 miles per hour.

During this time, you must deal with the pressures of having other lives under your care and responsibility while you are behind the wheel. Successfully going through these experiences should not be understated or overlooked. While training can be stressful and at times unpleasant, it is critical to develop the ability to manage new pressures never before experienced.

Your teenage years are ideal for forming new habits that all contribute to growth and maturity. You are studying and practicing skills that go beyond just driving. You are readying yourself to pass more than just a driver’s test!

When, not if, you get your license, use it to help others. Use it to simplify your parents’ schedule. Ponder the possibilities, the opportunities that God can begin bringing into your life if you have a driver’s license in your wallet or purse.

Just as you would present your driver’s license to a police officer to prove you are allowed to drive, present your newly obtained driver’s license to God after you turn 16. Thank Him and let Him know you are open to more than just drive…you welcome the opportunities He has in store for you to serve others.

Begin plotting your course and prepare to get that driver’s license now! And get ready to “start your own engine” one day soon.