Humble Pie; Not My Favorite

There's no place like h...humble. There’s no place like h…humble

Yesterday, I took my first written driving exam since I was 15 years old; and failed. I am almost 62 years old for crying out loud! I have lived in the state of Oregon all of my adult life and have never needed a driver's license outside of that state, until yesterday.

I had popped into the small DMV office shortly after arriving in Alaska back in late November, only to be told I needed my birth certificate, and it needed to match the name on my license, which it did not because Stark is my married name. So, I also needed a copy of my marriage license; I had neither.

I got busy contacting the county in which I was married. I contacted vital records in the city in which I was born and ordered both. The county clerk was awesome and ended up charging me nothing because my late husband was in the military. The birth certificate took about a month and a half to arrive, but it did; and yesterday I walked in proudly, and confidently, with both certificates, my rental agreement in case they needed proof of physical address, and two pieces of mail with my PO Box on it. I was ready!

After the gal behind the counter examined both certificates carefully and entered some data on a computer screen, I was allowed to begin taking the written exam.

The very first question was about when can I lawfully use my parking lights. You know, the name of the lights should have been the giveaway, but even with 4 multiple answers, I failed; and I know why I failed.

I was cocky. I was self-assured. I thought to myself, "I am not reading that entire DMV manual. I have been driving for almost 47 years; how hard can it be?"

Well, I failed, so there’s that.

I can go back today and try again, sigh. But guess what I did last night, for a couple of hours? Go ahead, guess ;0)

After my humbling experience, I realized I needed to approach this differently, ummm, (clears throat) more seriously that is. So, I spent hours listening to the entire DMV manual yesterday and this morning I took 5 practice tests. I think I am ready, I am certainly more prepared than I was yesterday.

It is clear that my years of experience behind the wheel were not enough to guarantee success on this exam. I had become complacent, thinking my knowledge was enough. The lesson? Humility.

Just like how I became complacent, thinking my years of experience were enough, I can sometimes fall into the same trap in my spiritual life. I might think that because I have been walking with the Lord for many years, I got everything figured out. But just like that driving exam showed me, experience alone is not always enough.

In my walk on this earth, I need to stay humble and acknowledge that I am always learning and growing.

The Bible talks about pressing on toward the goal (Philippians 3:14) and renewing my mind (Romans 12:2).

Just because we have read Scripture or followed Christ for years does not mean we can stop striving to grow closer to Him. Complacency in our faith-walk can lead to spiritual failure just like it did with my written driving test.

We need to be intentional in seeking God's guidance daily, not just assuming our past knowledge or past experiences will carry us through.

Whether it is through prayer, studying His Word, or seeking fellowship with other believers, there is always room to grow and learn in my walk with Christ.

Proverbs 16:18 reminds me of the importance of humility: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." ESV

Just like I had to study and prepare for this test, we are called to continually humble ourselves before God and seek His wisdom, even when we think we have everything figured out.

So today, I’m going back with a more humble attitude, better prepared, and ready to try again. Sometimes, it takes a fall to remind us to keep learning and growing.

by Jeanette Stark – Wednesday, January 29, 2025