My first exposure to Lamborghinis came in college—my roommate Ron Stump brought a mag about it, and I got hooked on the Italian supercar. But I’d never even sat in one, until Sheila gifted me with 7 laps with Exotics Racing at the Fontana Speedway. In a Lambo Gallardo 550. The 550 proclaims the horsepower, it tops out at 200 mph, and scorches 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds. Naturally, I posted a pic and thoughts on Facebook, but the exhilaration transcends the day. Driving home in our slow Honda Accord, I realized the Lambo taught me some lessons.
I learned how to reach 112 mph on the 1600 ft straight, which ended in a tight turn of 135 degrees. I passed a fellow Lambo on the track, a Huracan with more horsepower, and he never caught up. I took turns faster and tighter than I could have dreamed on my Mustang or sport touring bike. And I learned, when I followed the instructions of Megan, the in car instructor, that I could create four wheeled poetry in motion with the marriage of the car, the course, and a properly instructed driver. Not every turn, but enough to thrill my soul.
The key is trust.
Trust the instructor. I’ve driven fast, a lot, and can corner pretty decently. But cornering in the Gallardo contradicted all I knew. Her advice—always be on either the gas or the brake, with no coasting. And accelerate full bore approaching the corner, until she told me to brake, bleeding off speed and shifting car’s weight forward, and then start the turn when she said. I’d begin coasting and turning in too soon, like I had always done before, not knowing at first what the car could do. But when I did what she said, the poetry began. Kind of like with God?
Trust the car. The Gallardo had far more capabilities than I could have dreamed. The acceleration and speed exceeded my hopes. The suspension and tires seemed to grip the asphalt like a tiger’s claws. The car knew how to do this, I just needed to let it. A friend drove his Mustang at the Fontana oval course the night before, and he said driving home it was hard to even stay close to the speed limit. I had no problems there, my car was a much different animal than the Lambo. I couldn’t begin to take full advantage of what the car could do. Kind of like the power of the Holy Spirit?
Trust yourself. I learned my capabilities far exceeded my expectations. I had wanted to go fast, but went far faster than I dreamed. The instructor wanted me to go fast and made sure I pushed myself, but not stupidly so. So, am I ready to become a racer? No. But if I were 40 years younger…I would still pastor and teach and write. The best lesson, I could do much more than I expected, with the right help. Kind of like most followers of Jesus?
Kick Starting the Application
If you really like speed, think of doing something like this. But until, pick up some Lamborghini lessons. Do you really trust that God knows better? How often do you knowingly go against what he’s said because you know better? What is the latest example?
Do you rely on the power of the Spirit in your life? Or, do you do the equivalent of driving a Gallardo at 10 mph all around the track? What might God be whispering you to attempt that you feel unsafe and weak about?
When you do both of the above, have you seen yourself do far more than you could have anticipated? Think of a time you have, and did you get that sense of poetry in motion I mentioned above? What is your next big step?