Psalm 119:163 Been There, Done That

Because I'm a rideshare driver in Missouri, occasionally I have to drive on unfamiliar road that are hilly and curvy. Turns out the best way to learn to drive hilly curvy roads by driving hilly curvy roads.

I've had to take a passenger from Columbia to California, MO, and another to Dixon, MO. Both involved back highways with extremely steep hills and constant curves. Worse, both trips were timed so that I was making the return trip in the dark.

I'll admit to be a bit nervous during those sojourns. But I wasn't anywhere near as nervous as I was the first few times I ever drove on roads in the backwoods of the state.

I've gained experienced and learned some good tips for navigating hills and curves over the years.

• Don't be in a hurry, even if you're in a hurry. Yes, there are locals who come up behind you like they're driving the Autobahn and are obviously frustrated by being stuck behind some outsider who doesn't know how to drive in the Ozarks. That's okay. They'll deal with it. There's no reason to drive faster than feels safe to you.


• On the other hand, don't drive so slowly you're causing accidents. Work consciously at gradually increasing your speed to the fastest you can feel comfortable with.


• That said, be aware this isn't the time to set your cruise control, because you're going to need to continually adjust your speed. Slow down a little as you enter a curve and then speed up when you're in the middle of the curve and about to come out of it (I learned that from my Driver's Ed instructor when I was 16). Slow down a little when you're topping over a blind hill, because you don't want to hit the down slope out of control. Some of those rural hills turn into sharp curves without warning.


• Make sure you stay in your lane, as far to the right side of the road as is safe, especially when topping over a hill. Some people get overconfident driving those roads and will speed down the middle of the road, even as they come over the crest of a hill.

I could go on, but you get the idea. You'll learn, but only by taking advice wherever you can get it and by driving on some curvy and hilly roads a few times

I hate and detest falsehood
but I love your law.

Psalm 119:163

David is saying, in effect, "Been there, done that, prefer this."

The best way to learn how to deal with people who are liars and whose lives are filled with falsehood is ... wait for it ... by dealing with people who are liars and whose lives are filled with falsehood.

There's really no substitute for experience. I'm pretty good at spotting liars, but only because I've been around several liars. I used to work with a man who would lie just for the fun of it, even if there was no other reason to lie or anything he could possibly gain by the falsehood. His whole life was one falsehood after another.

Having spent a few years around him helped me not be fooled by other habitual liars. There are some salespeople and quite a few politicians who are obviously habitual liars, but people who haven't studied liars are easily fooled by them.

Along with experience, though, you've also got to be a student of both falsehood and truth. There are some good books about body language and about liars.  The best, though, is the Bible. And the more you read the Word, you'll appreciate its richness of truth and reliability compared to so much of what is written and said in the rest of the world.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12