In rush hour traffic the other day I saw someone nearly rear-end Mr. Oblivious.

You know the type. 

It’s the slowpoke in the fast lane. Often distracted by a conversation with someone in the car, or perhaps day-dreaming or even texting. For some reason this slow driver did not want to drive in the slow lane. And his decision not only frustrated drivers and slowed traffic, but nearly caused an accident.

This kind of thing happens not just on the highway, but throughout our lives.

We see the importance of staying in our lane at work, in our relationships, how we manage our health and handle our money.  When we’re in the wrong lane we underperform - and frustrate others.

When you stay in your lane you:

Inventory your gifts. 

Identify your faults. 

Own your responsibilities. 

Articulate your calling.

Stake your boundaries.

Know when to say yes - and no.

Staying in our lane means knowing ourselves and goals and diligently veering away from detours and distractions, keeping our eyes focused on the unique work only we can do - in fact we’ll hear Jesus talk about this on Sunday.

Our challenge is to examine the ways we stay in our lanes. How firmly do we own our calling? How clearly can we articulate our goals? What tempts us to switch lanes? And what can we do to stay on track?