God Drives Our Bus

Dear Families,

When completing my graduate classes in administration we read the popular business text, Good to Great (2001, Collins). The author puts forth the metaphor of a business as a bus. He questions decisions made pertaining to the direction in which the bus is moving, the bus’ final destination, and most importantly-- who is on the bus with you; viewing the latter as of preeminent importance.

Collins emphasizes the importance of getting “the right” people on the bus, the futility of driving in the “right” direction with the “wrong” people, and so on and so forth. Which makes perfect sense if your end goal is efficiency. Or profits. Or corporate world domination.

But we know where our bus is headed.

We know who is on our bus: the people God has purposely put into our path: family, friends, colleagues, students, neighbors, strangers... more.

The important question for us is: Who is driving the bus?

Jim Collins begins with the faulty assumption: “You are driving the bus”.

This is problematic from a variety of perspectives. We should not assume control. That way lies hubris, ego, and worse. We need to rely on God, family, and community.

What if we are allowing someone else to drive our bus?

What if we are allowing another person (spouse, child, friend) to influence and dictate our decisions?

What if our fear of what others may think informs our decision making?

What if pleasing others drives our decisions?  

What if our fear of the world (money, status, power, acceptance) is driving the bus?

We know the answer. We know the One who should be in control.

The Driver is not ourselves, nor anyone else found on earth. As the song Tennessee by Arrested Development (1992) says. “Lord… I know you are supposed to be my steering wheel, not just my spare tire.”

Let us live that truth. May God be the Driver of our bus.

Yours Truly in Christ,

Amy Sansone
Academic Dean