While visiting the local do-it yourself warehouse earlier today, I parked next to a car that had its entire back end covered with stickers. I’m not just talking about the rear window, which was completely covered, but also the rear bumper and even the trunk. In fact, the only things not covered over with stickers were the tail lights and the tag. Clearly, the driver was intending to make a statement.
As I read and reflected on a few of the stickers, I was reminded of an “oldie but goodie” that Paul Powell once told. It seems that…
A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk and there the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, “I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, shaking your fist at the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper sticker, and the chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.”
In his letter to his young protégé, Titus, (chapter 2, verses 6 and 7) the Apostle Paul admonished him to to be sure that “in everything”, he was to make himself “an example of good works with integrity and dignity”. That applies to all who profess faith in Christ Jesus.
I have no problem with free speech, or even with voluminous amounts of bumper stickers espousing one’s perspectives. But it will always be important for those of us who claim to be Christians to practice what we preach. Put another way, we must walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Otherwise, we hurt not only our testimony, but also the very faith we purport to practice!
JOKE SOURCE: Paul W. Powell, Laugh and Live Longer: Good Humor to Brighten and Lighten Your Life (Tyler, Texas, 2008), p. 27. Available online at:
https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/66830.pdf.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/titus/2-7.htm.
As I read and reflected on a few of the stickers, I was reminded of an “oldie but goodie” that Paul Powell once told. It seems that…
A man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection, dropping her cell phone and makeup.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed, and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk and there the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, “I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, shaking your fist at the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper sticker, and the chrome plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.”
In his letter to his young protégé, Titus, (chapter 2, verses 6 and 7) the Apostle Paul admonished him to to be sure that “in everything”, he was to make himself “an example of good works with integrity and dignity”. That applies to all who profess faith in Christ Jesus.
I have no problem with free speech, or even with voluminous amounts of bumper stickers espousing one’s perspectives. But it will always be important for those of us who claim to be Christians to practice what we preach. Put another way, we must walk the walk and not just talk the talk. Otherwise, we hurt not only our testimony, but also the very faith we purport to practice!
JOKE SOURCE: Paul W. Powell, Laugh and Live Longer: Good Humor to Brighten and Lighten Your Life (Tyler, Texas, 2008), p. 27. Available online at:
https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/66830.pdf.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/titus/2-7.htm.