Hitchhikers

I know it is unsafe to pick up hitchhikers along the road. But let’s say I am on a long, cross-country ride by myself, and I see a hitchhiker who looks non-threatening. I put my intuitions aside and pick her up and lo and behold—she happens to be looking for a ride to my exact destination. I decide to let her ride along—maybe she can keep me company on this long, monotonous drive. We talk for several hours, and she seems to know how to say all the right things that I like to hear. Well, after a while, when I get tired, she offers to drive. I’m not so sure if this is a good idea, but I’m too exhausted to think—so I hand her the keys and proceed to doze off in the passenger seat. 

I know what you’re thinking…Nobody with any sense would do such a thing!

Evil rarely appears in the form of a menacing hitchhiker—instead it is often amusing, charming, and validating. So, we might unwittingly place ourselves on the road to destruction.

The following lyrics are from an old gospel song by Aaron Neville:

Don't let the devil ride,
Oh, don't let the devil ride,
If you let the devil ride,
He will want to drive,
Don't let him ride.

We have all let the devil ride in the passenger seat at some point or another. We give space to our inner demons; we listen to what they say; they bide their time, knowing we will get worn down eventually, and then they can take over and be in control of us.

So…don’t make space for anything or anyone of questionable character.

Don’t let the devil ride…or soon he will want to drive.