Honk If You Love....

At HarleyDad's church, the faithful are handing out bumper stickers. Nuthin' wrong with that--at least for most people. The bumper stickers have the church name on it and promotes church identity and awareness throughout the community. Nuthin' wrong with that either-at least for many. Here is my problem, however.

It seems that HarleyDad is known as an outrageous driver. As a result a church bumper sticker on HarleyDad's car might bring the name of the church into disrepute. People start to Honk even if they do not love Jesus.

HarleyDad was always been careful not to use religious bumper stickers on his automobiles. You know how it is. You get cut off by the car with the fish symbol on it. Or the car with the "Honk if you love Jesus sticker" zips into the parking space that you were just getting ready to go into at Wal-Mart.

Now I know that it is probably not good Christian people drivin' like that. Instead it is their evil relatives and "gone bad" children that drive that way. However, unfortunately HarleyDad sometimes drives like them people do. He "drives like a bat outta Hell" says his co-workers. Now I realize that the Christian faith should affect all areas of our life, including driving. And I really do try not to injure anyone when I drive. Most of the time I don't get mad. But I start talking or thinking and you know how it is. Having epiphanies in the car makes for bad driving.

So a bumper sticker on my car is like the good Christian that leaves a salvation tract at his restaurant and a 5% tip after abusing the service person. Just not too impressive. An anti-witness, so to speak.

Now I bought a church shirt with the church logo and name on it. And I don't mind wearing it. People in other cars can't read my shirt logo. And when I am out of the car, I walk more safely than when I drive. Besides, I try to never cuss when I am wearing my shirt with the church logo on it.

There are some stickers that do make me upset however. I especially hate the ones that brag: "They say my child is an honor student at (You fill in the name) High School. But if we are so fortunate as to get one, we will post it prominently with pride-on Brokerbelle's vehicle.

Then there are the "Honk, if you love Jesus" bumper stickers. Now if all us believers go around honking every time we see one of these we will be makin' a terrible racket and noise always wakin' up our neighbors and such. It just not seem to be a very Christian thing to do.

Besides there are too many stickers and too little car. This is even more true of my Harley. I am resolved not to become a rolling, roaring billboard!

Moreover, our church bumper stickers don't even stick. This means that they slide down to unseemly places on the automobile. Further, it seems that church bumper stickers should exhibit the Christian virtues of steadfastness and perseverance. Ours don't. They simply fall away! They are completely undependable and show absolutely commitment whatsoever.

If you don't mind, Pastor, I would like an indulgence to keep my vehicle free of bumper stickers instead of making it a billboard on wheels. However, I will agree to keep the bad ones off as well. Further I don't mind being a walking billboard myself. I promise to wear my CCUMC shirt and hat. But I also will wear my Tommy Hillfigger, Calvin Klein, University ware, Cowboys shirts and Harley shirts and jackets too. I am not cheap.

After all, I am an equal opportunity advertiser.

Above are a bumper crop of bumper stickers.

HarleyDad