Why do cars have brakes?

I bet your first thought is “So that we can stop”. It’s not entirely wrong, but the real reason is so that you can go fast! Without brakes in a car, you would always have to drive with the awareness that you would need the car to lose momentum in order to stop.

Similarly, our lives also need boundaries; we need checks and balances, and a way to ensure our safety when we take on risk.

When I read The Bible I see that there are places where I’m told, don’t do this, or you shouldn’t go there, it is clear that I have a choice. I can say, well I am mature, smart, and free-willed, so I will do it or go there anyway. So am I driving without brakes?

Those rules, if I can call them that are there to help us. They help us guard our health, guard our relationships, and guard our children. They very much guard our society. Imagine if we could do what we wanted. No we value rules like ‘you will not steal” or “you will not lie” or “you will be faithful to your wife”. These rules are not just about doing right or wrong, they let us live together safely and securely in community.

So why do cars have brakes? Now you know the answer.