Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. [Hebrews 12:1-2a (NLT)]
In our part of Florida, yellow lights tend to mean “speed up” and red lights are just mere suggestions so no one really expects anyone to stop at a yellow. Although the light had just turned yellow, the elderly gentleman stopped his car. “The #@!% idiot should have sped through the intersection!” said the women following him. Having been tailgating his car, she was furious at having to brake so abruptly. Already late, now she’d be even later. Moreover, the unexpected stop caused her to spill her coffee and drop both her cell phone and makeup. Angry, she laid on the horn, called him a few more choice expletives, shook her fists and even gave him the middle-finger salute! She was in mid-rant when she looked up to see a police officer at her window. He politely ordered her to exit the car. Having forgotten her driver’s license in another purse, she was transported to the police station, fingerprinted, photographed, and finally placed in a holding cell.
A few hours later, the woman was released and escorted her to the booking desk where the arresting officer waited for her. “I’m so sorry for this mistake,” he meekly apologized. “You see, I pulled up behind you while you were honking your horn, cussing a blue streak, and flipping off the old man. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ and ‘Follow Me to Sunday School’ bumper stickers, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate, the cross decal and the chrome-plated Christian fish on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car!”
I thought of this Internet humor today when I received an ad for a new line of Christian sportswear. Founded by Christian athletes, the apparel has faith inspired designs and messages like “Fearfully and Wonderfully Made” or “My Game His Glory.” If we wear our faith on our shirts or cars, we better make sure our conduct lives up to it. We wouldn’t want anyone to think we stole either the shirt or the car. We should be sure that our behavior would make someone want to follow us to Sunday school rather than run the other way!
Father in heaven, guide us today so that our actions reflect our faith. Let everything we do demonstrate not only our love for you but also the love we should have for our neighbors. Don’t let our poor behavior contradict your message of peace, love and forgiveness. May our conduct show the world that we truly are your disciples. In those moments that try our patience or spark our temper, remind us to lovingly pray for people when we’d much prefer yelling at them.
Be such a man, and live such a life, that if every man were such as you, and every life like yours, this earth would be God’s Paradise. [Phillips Brooks]
Also, the Spirit helps us with our weakness. We do not know how to pray as we should. But the Spirit himself speaks to God for us, even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain. God can see what is in people’s hearts. And he knows what is in the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit speaks to God for his people in the way God wants. [Romans 8:26-27 (NCV)]
Printed on the tee-shirt were Paul’s words from Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things.” While the shirt, part of a new line of Christian workout wear, would be a great conversation starter at the gym, the message is somewhat misleading. I could wear that shirt and say those words but, try as I might, I’d still be unable to bench press 450 pounds! That, however, is not why the message is misleading. It’s because the rest and most important part of Paul’s words—“through Christ who strengthens me”—are missing. Paul’s words are not words of self-sufficiency but of God’s all-sufficiency. The apostle was not boasting of himself and his strength but rather of God’s strength and power that enable us to do His work.
We women tend to consider the mirror a critic, and a ruthless one at that. I don’t know about men but I suspect you fellows may not be all that different. When we look in a mirror, the message we perceive is often disparaging and fault-finding: tired looking, “bed head,” too fat, too old, or too saggy. Then the mirror starts in our apparel telling us things are too tight, too loose, out of style, too young, too old, too wrinkled, or just plain ugly! Most of us don’t hear our mirrors affirming that we are marvelously made.
I recently made up the guest list for my mother-in-law’s 100th birthday party. Shortly before the party, I will determine the seating arrangements and decide who gets to sit with the birthday girl and who gets to sit with the various youngsters. Without place cards, everyone will want to sit with the guest of honor and no one will be anxious to sit with the toddlers or near the kitchen.
