Sometimes I Just Want to Sit Down!

Touring a city on a Segway has always intrigued me, but…

1. How much does it cost?

2. How long are the tours?

3. How coordinated do you have to be?

All those questions swirl through my mind as the two-wheeled tourists speed past me on their way to the next point of interest. Maybe another day, another time.

Unexpectedly, the opportunity to ride a Segway recently arrived, and it was an offer I couldn’t resist. “Would you like to go on a Segway tour of the city? Our treat!” Before I knew it, the words flew out of my mouth. “Sure!” But as soon as my excited response escaped my lips, my cautious nature began a battle in my mind. “What have I gotten myself into? It can’t be that hard, right?”

Then, the day arrived. I saw the dreaded beast. Not the Segway, mind you. Oh no! A beast of another sort. I hadn’t planned on the fact that I’d not only have to figure out how to balance upright on this contraption, but all while wearing a bike helmet. Ugh! But ‘Safety First’ does not allow for vanity. So, I donned my glamorous accessory and tried to wear it with style.

Now, the test of all tests. I knew that we would have a riding lesson before we headed out on our tour. What I hadn’t considered was that we would each - individually – practice our new-found skills in front of all the others in the group! With no way out of the situation, I concentrated as well as I could and tried to follow the guide’s instructions.

Step 1: How to step up onto a Segway - that has wheels and no brakes!

Step 2: How to turn at will. (I admit, I needed a bit of extra coaching before I could turn a full circle!)

Step 3: How to go forward.

Step 4: How to go backward.

Step 5: How to stand still – again, on a wheeled platform without brakes!

At first glance these steps seem pretty simple, but I know what my fail-safe reaction is when I’m scared or going too fast. My normal ‘go to’ when speeding out of control – aka downhill skiing – is to simply sit down. Yes, just sit down and descend the mountain with the ultimate goal of a safe arrival without calamity. (It’s a variation of my stopping maneuver for roller skating - which is to run into the nearest wall.) Neither option would serve me well on a tour around the city, in public, with traffic all around. After learning that the safety features on a Segway keep the rider from falling forward or backward, I gained greater peace of mind. And, off we went!

It didn’t take but a moment for the fear of not keeping up with the tour group to supersede any hesitation of maneuvering my new wheels. Soon, I felt even more proficient and comfortable with my new legs, and the tour was both invigorating and enjoyable. Achieving new goals is exciting, and overcoming fear is always a sweet victory!

My default mode to sit down isn’t always surrounded by fear or excitement. Sometimes it’s found in a simple act that has a surprise ending. So, to ‘segue way’ from my Segway story to how God has been teaching me to follow His lead and to simply sit down, I have a couple more stories to share. 

One happened a few minutes before the worship hour was to begin. Out of nowhere, I got this urge to go sit down next to a young mom. I hadn’t taken the opportunity to ask her about life for a long time, so I took the risk and took a seat. We enjoyed a sweet conversation, and I was glad I had followed my heart. A couple days later, I learned that God had used this simple ‘sit down’ to be a powerful and impactful God-moment in this young mother’s life. (Wow, God! I just sat down and shared your love. I never considered that those moments were going to play such an important part in her sacred journey.)

The following week, I was looking for a place to sit in a Sunday School class. I spotted a seat next to a friend of mine, so I decided to sit down by her. After a couple of minutes, she turned and looked at me with teary eyes and said, “You don’t know it, but you’re my angel today.” She then shared that when I sat down she had been on the brink of giving into the overwhelming emotion of life’s burdens. In that moment, God took my simple act of being seated and transformed her sense of hopelessness into one of divine hope. I didn’t do anything but sit down. God, however, had a much more purposeful plan in mind, and I’m so glad that I could be a little part of it.

So, the next time that you hear God’s still small voice moving you to say hello or to simply sit down, don’t hesitate. Follow your heart. You just may find yourself seated right in the front row of a God-moment for someone. Or it may just be a sweet opportunity to extend a kind gesture of love. The outcome is up to our Ultimate Guide, but we do need to step up, take the risk and follow His lead!

“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise... all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:1-2a & 16b

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