Have you heard that term “where the rubber meets the road?” It refers to the moment of truth for something where it’s tested to be found whether it really works. I think anytime a person teaches or in some way shares an opinion and then that lesson or opinion is tested in their life-the rubber is meeting the road. This often happens to me in parenting where I might teach my kids how to handle a challenge and then I’m faced with the same challenge-what do I do? Do I follow my own advice or am I a hypocrite?

I joked with friends the other day that my writing a couple of posts about hospitality was a bad idea because now this week I have had families over for dinner two times am hosting a bible study one night. While it was funny and ironic, at the same time it tested my own beliefs on the subject of hospitality. I took my own advice and upon hearing that someone needed help with their children, I offerred to have them over. I then heard about someone else who needed to be around other people and needed encouragement so I invited him over for dinner. I found myself getting a bit frazzled and worrying about the details and then reminded myself of what I had said about what it really means to be hospitable. “It’s not really about the act itself but of what the act helps facilitate.” If I’m getting caught up in the details, how can I effectively facilitate?

My next challenge of testing my own beliefs occurred at the doctor’s office. My son and I have been sufferring from allergy and asthma problems the past month. (I’ve been using my emergency inhaler everyday). My body is exhausted from dealing with the asthma that even though I get sleep, I wake up feeling like I never slept. Since none of the medications have helped, my allergist today decided to prescribe oral steroids. I have a really difficult time when I take prednisone so when she told me that I immediately got tears in my eyes. The first thought that went through my mind was, “I am so tired and now the steroids will keep me up all night. How will I make it?” And then my younger one will be on the same medicine for the same reason as I and he too will be hyper. This is where the rubber meets the road. I had to rebuke my thoughts and remind myself that if I really believe that God is sovereign over all things, then he is not suprised by my problem. And since he is allowing this to happen, he will make a way for me to persevere. There is a lesson for me to learn through this season of sickness and I need to rest in knowing that the God who knows the end from the beginning can certainly handle this situation.

The Lord is tapping me on the shoulder and whispering, “Do you really believe?” Bonhoeffer says, “Only those who obey can believe, and only those who believe can obey.” What will I do when I’m called to obey and believe-when the rubber meets the road?