Beware of Bumper Stickers

There is a custom in this country of slathering your life story and beliefs on the back of your car in the form of bumper stickers. This visual pollution, as I see it, makes for a fascinating sociological study. Why do people feel the need to reveal their children’s names and sports to the general public? Do passersby care that your child is on the honor roll? Is it necessary for other drivers to know who you support for president or that you long for World Peace? I am afraid I am not compelled to share my life story with strangers on the freeway. There is a silver double T logo and a Baylor trailer hitch on the back of my car. Neither was put there by me. I am a passionate person but choose to express my convictions in other ways than on the back of my motor vehicle. (I know this sounds harsh, but read on)

Bumper stickers can not only be a visual nuisance, they can also get you into trouble. See if you can relate to this scenario. My friend had a prescription to fill on her way home from work. She pulls up to the drive-thru pharmacy to see a car in each of the two drive up windows. She patiently waits centered between the two lanes for the first available window. About ten minutes later a few cars pull in and fall in line. The car immediately behind my friend shortly starts honking for her to move up. My friend moves up a bit thinking perhaps someone in the back of the line is trying to get off the street and into the lot. However, the driver continues to honk impatiently. My friend inches up just enough for the driver to suddenly squeeze by her into one of the window lanes. As fate would have it that lane moved up and the rude driver was waited on before my friend who’d been there some time.

My friend, not suffering from a case of shyness, rolled down her window to politely explain to the woman why she had been straddling the two lanes and that now she would have to wait even longer. The woman driving the car was as brash to my friend as her horn had been and quickly closed her window as if hanging up on a telemarketer during dinner. It was at this time my friend couldn’t help but notice not one, not two, but THREE Christian bumper stickers on the back of the brash lady’s car. One for her church, one promoting prayer and of course the famous fish. My friend thought of several very clever quips she would like to share with the woman, but feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit, unlike the car next to her, kept the thoughts to herself.

How many of us can relate to both characters in this story? One day we’re the righteous victim being treated so unfairly, the next day we’re the ones with the Christian labels telling the rest of the world what they can do with it!

Oh sure, we all believe Philippians 4:4-5, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” As well as, “Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.” Christians know to “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”. Let’s not leave out, John 3:36, which says, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Ouch!

Of course we say we believe these things and we do but it’s nearly impossible to live this all the time. It’s hard to always live what we believe. Here’s the other problem, aren’t we just walking bumper stickers? Aren’t us Christians wearing His name? God took a chance leaving us here after we accepted Him as Lord. Why take the risk?

The bible says it’s because, of good ol’ Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. God prepared for us to do good works! That’s what we’re doing here, and Romans 1:6, “(For I am) confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” If you had been taken to heaven upon receiving Jesus, who would be here this Sunday to teach preschoolers or help in the parking lot or set up the stage for worship?

We’re all a work in progress. God planned to leave us here to be his ambassadors and to continually work on us. Our failures keep us on our knees in awe of his perfections. Our good works allow us to participate with him in the gospel. He’s got a good plan. We’re part of that plan in whatever stage of faith we may be.

My friend did the right thing that day, exercising her beliefs of being quick to listen (to the Spirit in this case) and slow to speak. Her sister in the Lord driving that car next to her didn’t exercise that day. I don’t know which role I’ll play later today when I get out in Houston traffic but I do know this, “I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.”

Drive on brothers and sisters in the strength of the Lord but please, don’t ask your church to print any bumper stickers any time soon!

Pray today that all believers will be positive bumper stickers for His Name. Pray that his name and renown would be the desire of our hearts. Blessings to you!