According to a 2001 survey done in the States, most automobile accidents happen close to home. The survey reports that 77% of accidents occur within fifteen miles of home. In fact, 52% of them happen within five miles of home.

The natural explanation is that we do not stray too far from home most of the time. The numbers also suggest that we can get so used to familiar roads that we stop paying adequate attention to them. We may daydream or enjoy some favourite music while driving in a familiar area.

I still remember how excited another medical student and I were when we went to the delivery room for the first time. Seeing the birthing of a new child and the emotion on the mother’s face was unforgettable. But when we looked over at our professor, it was obvious that it was just another case to him. “Why do they always have to come out after midnight?” was the response.

We all know the saying that practice makes perfect. The importance of practice has been impressed on us at an early age. Those of us lucky enough to have had piano lessons as a child know this well. I still remember seeing the front of a T-shirt asking: “How to get to Carnegie Hall?” The back of the shirt answers “Practice, practice, practice.”

It is true that when we do an activity regularly, we can become very good at it. But at the same time, familiarity breeds contempt. When an activity turns into a routine, sooner or later it will become monotonous. Then, we tend to let our guards down, and we get into trouble.

The same applies to our walk with God. Those of us that are brought up in Christian families may approach familiar passages in the Bible in much the same way as we drive. We pay less attention to them, opting for unfamiliar sections. Worse still, we subconsciously feel that we have heard it all before, and stop listening to God for His still small voice.

When our walk with God gets stale, we tend to get into “accidents”. Some of us may have the “been there, done that” feeling. We must remind one another to stay fresh with God and the best starting point is to begin paying attention to the people with whom we rub shoulders.