Recently, I took an Uber to the airport.
I don’t know what kind of experiences you’ve had with Uber drivers, but mine usually fall into one of two categories:
The Uber driver who is silent.
The Uber driver who is chatty.
With the silent types, it goes without saying, the rides are pretty quiet. There is a polite exchange or two, and then we drive.
With the chatty types, the conversation could go anywhere. However, usually, the driver gets around to asking about why I am traveling.
When they do, I usually answer with something like, “I run a nonprofit that provides training for churches who want their people to become more intentional about loving their neighbors in day-to-day life. You know how Jesus says, ‘Love your neighbor?’ What if He meant that?”
That usually gets a chuckle and a nod of the head.
However, during this Uber ride, my driver had a little surprise for me.
His name was Earl. And as I finished up my usual spiel, he said, “Yeah, I like that. That’s basically what I try to do as I drive people around. I never know who God will bring into my car.” He told me that he was a follower of Jesus too and that he basically treats every Uber rider as an opportunity to join Jesus on His mission.
Turns out, Earl the Uber driver was also Earl the everyday missionary. And he was an experienced practitioner too. So, I mined his experience, “Tell me about how a typical ride for you might go.”
He replied, “First, I pray, offering myself for whatever God might want to do. After all, this isn’t my gig; it’s His.
“Then I follow the lead of the rider. I talk when they want to talk and I fall silent when they fall silent.
“If they tell me their struggles, I listen and ask questions to better understand. Then I tell them that God loves them and that they are of great worth to Him. I give them words of encouragement because most people need encouragement.
“If their struggles are because of self-destructive attitudes or behaviors, I tell them they don’t have to settle for that stuff anymore. I tell them that God is ready to help them if they ask Him.”
Then Earl told me the story of a woman who had been one of his recent riders. She was already distraught when she got in the car. So, Earl silently prayed and followed his usual course of conversation. He listened. He asked some questions. And then he told her the good news that despite her struggles, God knew her, valued her greatly, and wanted to be a part of her life. Earl said to her, “God sent His Son Jesus to forgive you and get you back for Himself. That sounds like a pretty cool second chance to me.”
As they approached her destination, she said that she had changed her mind and asked if Earl could take her somewhere else.”
He answered, “Sure, but why?”
“Because when I requested the Uber, I was planning to go kill myself. I don’t want to do that anymore. You’ve given me hope. I needed to hear what you had to say.”
Earl said he was so glad; he would have driven her anywhere!
* * * * * * * * * *
I am often asked, “I get the importance of loving my neighbor, but then what do I say to them?”
Earl’s tutorial is helpful and effective:
Pray and be available.
Follow the lead of the person.
If the person is struggling, listen and ask questions to better understand.
Tell them the good news that God knows them and loves them, and wants to be a part of their life… in fact, that’s why God sent His Son Jesus: to die and rise for the forgiveness of their sins and to restore them to a love relationship with Himself. God is for them not against them.
If their struggles are because of self-destructive attitudes or behaviors, tell them they don’t have to settle for that stuff anymore. Tell them that God is ready to help them if they ask Him.
Like Earl said, people need encouragement. They need a little news that’s good. You don’t have to guess what they need, just listen. If they’re not ready, they’re not ready. But when they are… they are.
Enjoy your adventures with Jesus!