Counterintuitive

I am the first to admit that I am not the perfect driver. I try my best but I am human. God keeps me humble and consequently I regularly make my fair share of driving blunders.

There is one driving skill that I am careful with and that is the skill to merge into traffic.

Usually, when the road requires one to merge, there is a merge lane affording the opportunity for the merger to speed up to the approaching traffic whilst gauging a proper spot to slip in between vehicles.

Last night as Brad and I headed home and used a merge lane into 80 km/h traffic, I remarked that merging takes a slightly different set of driving skills than merely watching, checking and accelerating. Merging into traffic is counterintuitive.

When a vehicle operator approaches a quick and steady stream of traffic in which he/she must enter, it is instinctive to stop, look both ways (or one way depending on the intended direction of travel), and proceed with caution when it is safe. It takes less trust on other vehicle operators as the onus is based entirely on the said driver's perception of safety.

Merging differs slightly as it requires a driver to match the speed of approaching traffic, be it slower or faster, rather than instinctively slowing down and checking for safety. The driver must gauge speed, space, safety, and the most unpredictable factor - other vehicle operators' intentions. Because of this unpredictability, merging also requires trust that other vehicle operators are also gauging speed, safety, and intentions of others to have a successful merge.

This counterintuitive driving skill is not always seen on the road here in metro Vancouver.

I think about counterintuitive things because living Christ's life and everything that it entails is seemingly counterintuitive to human nature in its fallen state.

Part of bible study this week led us to read Isaiah 53 and this is what I discovered:

v. 5 the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (niv)

v. 5 He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. (nlt)

Isaiah is talking about Jesus.

The contrast in these verses is also very counterintuitive, and very beautiful, to me. It doesn't make sense to human minds that punishment brings peace and that inflicted wounds bring healing. An egg beaten cannot be made whole. It's difficult to understand that whipping and causing pain is for the purpose of healing, not hurting.

But Jesus said, "so the last will be first, and the first will be last." (Matthew 20:16 niv)

Humility is counterintuitive.