Driving over a Cliff

All this talk about the ‘fiscal cliff’ brings to mind a story I used to use in counseling.

A wealthy man interviews 3 men for the position of limousine driver, taking each to a high mountain road, posing the question: “How close do you think you can drive to the edge of this road without going over the cliff?” The first one says,“Oh, I could get within 2 feet of the edge of the road without going over.” The second one says, “Oh, I think I could get within a foot of the edge.” But the third one responds, “Are you kidding, I wouldn’t go anywhere near the edge of this cliff!” To which, the wealthy man replies, “You’re hired!”

The “Driving over a Cliff” threat is bringing out the machismo in Wash. D.C.—a political game of Chicken. How close each party is willing to go to the edge is yet to be determined. Of course there is a loaded spiritual analogy too. The second we start thinking about how close we can get to temptation without actually sinning, we're already over the cliff. Listen to the wisdom of Solomon: “Don't follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don't go that way. Turn away and keep moving” (Proverbs 4:14-15).