Fools.

"It is not wise to argue with a fool, because someone may come by and not be able to tell who is who."

-Bernard Meltzer

"Many a man complains he is being made a fool of, when he is only being exposed."

-Anonymous

"Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed."

-Mark Twain

"Nobody can make a fool out of a person if he isn't the right kind of material for the job."

-Cincinnati Inquirer

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise."

-Proverbs 12:15 NKJV

"Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others."

-Proverbs 12:15 NLT

I've been driving for fifty-one years now. I've put lots and lots and lots of miles on cars, trucks, vans, buses, and even a motorcycle or two. Probably my most dangerous years at the wheel were my teenage years.

I can remember when I was "young and foolish" (now I'm just foolish!) and I would drive home at night. I would drive mostly country, back roads of York County, Pennsylvania, where there was little or no traffic so I would do my England Experiment. Basically, I would drive to experience the feeling of driving in England . . . you know, the left-hand side of the road thing. I would just pull my car into the left lane and drive for miles like they do in England. Because I never met any oncoming vehicles I am still alive to tell you about it today.

I never tried the England Experiment in the daytime because that would have been suicide: At night it was just stupid! But . . . night time did provide a very clear warning when another vehicle was approaching, headlights! I'm really thankful that there wasn't another brain-dead teenager in York County who wanted to see what it was like to drive without his lights on!

I'll be the first to admit, what I did was stupid. Unfortunately, at the same time, it was fun. Give me a little credit, I never did it with someone else in the car, I never did it in the daylight, and I always moved to the right of the center lines when I saw light ahead.

Still, what I did was against the law, could have killed me or innocent people who drove where normal folks drive, and was just plain foolish. I could justify it until I saw lights coming my way. I knew I was wrong. The Driver's Manual for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania clearly told me that. My dad's wise counsel and driving taught me that. I simply choose to ignore all that wisdom.

Isn't that just like life? We do foolish things, know they're wrong, justify them so they're right in our own eyes, until we see the light. Problem is, the real fool doesn't move over--he doesn't budge one foot. He insists that the light doesn't exist, there's nothing out there, so he continues on his own way. C-r-a-a-a-a-s-s-h! Somebody dies. Somebody gets hurt. Too late to move over now.

The guys who listen to the wise counsel don't have to live (or die) under the penalty of stupidity. They drive right where they're supposed to drive, stay right of the center lines, obey all traffic signs, and know where they are . . . and it's not in England!

Fools die every day. It may not be in head-on crashes. It may be with drugs, sex, bitterness, violence, or some other stupidity brought on by wrong choices. Wise counsel is found in God's Word. Godly men and women make it available every day. We can live our lives making wise choices based on God's Word or we can go our own way pretending we're somewhere we're not, doing what we shouldn't until CRASH! Then it's too late . . . someone's dead or badly hurt.

Lifetime has a starting line and a finishing line. Every mile in between requires wise choices if we are to arrive alive at the finish. Be careful out there too because there may be some foolish kid, in your lane, doing an England Experiment. Wise choices may not always keep you safe from the bad choices of others but they will help you stay alert, defensive, and give you the maneuverability to get out of the fool's way.

"The way of the godly leads to life; their path does not lead to death" (Proverbs 12:28).

Choose wisely. Take the Father's advice.

Arrive alive!