The first time I took a ride in my husband’s 1995 Jeep Wrangler, I learned something I never knew before…
We were riding along and as we passed a driver going the opposite direction, my husband, Brandon, threw up a wave, of sorts. (It was more like a few fingers extended from the steering wheel combined with a nod.)
So, I asked him, “Do you know that guy?”
“Nope.”
Okay then.
Then, a while later, the same encounter happened. Only this time, I put two and two together…it was a secret club of sorts….a wave only shared by fellow Jeep owners…it was the “Jeep Wave”.
This was so cool to me! It was like a big ‘ole support system out there on the open road. It’s like, “Hey! What’s Up! Oh, you’re a fellow jeep-driver? Rock on brother!”
It just made me smile so big.
It was just a gesture acknowledging that you have something in common, and I was fascinated by it! I started looking for fellow “jeepers”, just to get ready to witness “the wave”.
I’m a dork. I know.
This does not only happen for Jeep-owners, it is also out there for motorcycles too. Their wave is a bit different; it’s more like this:

Here’s the thing though…the only way you can experience either of these is to get in the Jeep. Or take a ride on a motorcycle. You can’t experience this particular band of brotherhood any other way.
Then, I got to thinking. A dangerous place sometimes, I know. Here goes….bear with me…..joining a body of fellow believers in Jesus is a way of experiencing the “What’s up” nod. When I walk through the hallways of my local church, I get to throw a smile, a nod, a hug, a “what’s up”.
It’s like saying, “Hey there, sister! How are you? You carrying your cross too? Right on! We can do this! Just another few days in the world till we meet up here again!”
It’s like a band of brotherhood/sisterhood with other Jesus-followers with whom I have something in common. It’s like a big ‘ole support system that I can tap into twice weekly (and sometimes even more than that).
Here’s the thing though…the only way you can experience this type of support system is to get in the door and join up with a group. If you are not a part of a fellow body of believers, I encourage you to find one. For me, it’s my local church, but I know that it’s different for others. Either way, it’s a great thing to be with fellow Jesus-followers to share that common bond and have fellowship together.
Side note: there is not a nod/wave for SUV drivers. I know because I tried.
April 25, 2016 at 9:18 pm
Funny you mention “the nod/wave”
In California/on west coast, the friendly nod is non-existent.
When we arrived in Mid-west….back in ’08/09 – the wave from the steering wheel was VERY commonplace. And I’d never seen it before! It took me a few weeks to realize it was genuine and I LOVED it. I still see it, it’s slightly less frequent but we’ve had a lot of people move here.
I still love to exchange the “driving nod” because it really does make me feel like the days of Mayberry aren’t a complete loss…and that people still appreciate “neighborly-ness!” 🙂
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April 27, 2016 at 12:53 am
That’s such a great point that feels like the days of Mayberry! I love that comparison!
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