I had one of those “Huh?” moments the other day while driving down the highway. Given the nature and collective driving ability of Evansville drivers, this shouldn’t be much of a shocker. However, it wasn’t the person’s lack of driving skill that got me, it was the representation from their bumper that really drew my attention, and possible ire.
As I pulled up behind the SUV, I looked a little closer to one of the bumper stickers with a cross on it. Reading a little closer, I saw it said “Tell the good news of Jesus.” Great thought, I thought to myself. I mentally applauded the individual for being bold enough to place the sticker on their car. However, my enthusiasm for their witness was immediately tempered by the wording of the sticker immediately to the left of this one. The second one said “Horn Broken, Watch for Finger”.
My disappointment was now complete. I honestly don’t know anything about the driver of this vehicle, and the placement of both these stickers right next to each other did nothing to reinforce a disposition to think the driver was worldly or Godly. Let me be clear; as Christians, we can NOT be both. This is a biblical fact and mandate (2 Cor 5:13).
Without knowing the spiritual standing of this particular driver, I know that I am not to judge them, as we are called only to judge fellow believers (1 Cor 5:12). If this individual is of the world, then I wonder what the particular “good news of Jesus” means to this individual. If this person professes to be a believer, then how do they justify having such a worldy (and offensive) sticker prompting a rather unChristian like behavior and gesture?
As a Christian, I am well aware that my actions and words are scrutinized at all times by the world around me. I am called to be a reflection of Jesus Christ, with His attitudes and behaviors guiding my own behaviors and attitudes. To espouse an un-Godly attitude is in direct conflict with my profession to be a Christ follower.
Again, I don’t know what this driver professes to be, if anything at all. My problem is that I felt it was such a bad representation of Christians in general. The world already has us under a microscope, do we, as believers, really need to give the world more reasons to call us liar and hypocrites? Too many scandals and wrong doings within the church have hurt our witness. Wrong minded groups calling themselves Christian (I’m looking at you, Westboro Baptist) give all of us a bad name. It makes it even that much harder to convince the world that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
We need to be much more aware of how we present ourselves to the world, my fellow Christians. Be hyper-vigilant, and always ask yourself, “How am I reflecting Christ today?”