Christians, Cars and Jesus Fish

Phot by: Jaako (Creative Commons)

I choose not to place them on any of my vehicles but I like to read them. I like when they’re funny, pithy or sarcastic. I like the cleaver way they us words or pictures to make their point. I like the ones that make me think. As an extension, in most cases, of our personalities – allowing of course for the fact that 100s of others usually have the same sticker – I think they offer the car owner a lot in the way of personal expression.

Some of my favorites are:

“Nobody cares about your stick figure family”

“If you can read this please flip my Jeep back over”

“ I know the voices in my head aren’t real…my dog told me”

Any anything that supports the USMC – Semper fi!

I would never EVER consider telling someone to not put a sticker on their car. I wouldn’t dream of abridging someone’s freedom of expression. I may not agree with your POV, in fact, I might think you’re dead wrong but it’s your right to, both, express yourself and be completely off base at the same time.

But I do have a request – if you claim to be a Christ follower.

STOP advertising your faith and then drive like a JERK!

For example, this morning I was driving behind a car – I don’t know who or what was driving – and they had a sticker for a local Christian radio station as well as a sticker of a boy peeing on an OPEC sign.

Now, I have little or no love for OPEC but to borrow a phrase from ESPN, “C’mon man!”

You’re sending mixed signals. You’re telling people that already hate Christians that they are justified in their hate. You are proving that we’re no different than they are. You’re adding undue pressure to a walk that is hard enough already. You’re making us out to be the problem – and I cannot blame people for thinking that way about us.

Even when we’re in our cars we’re Christ followers. The Bible says, “ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:10 – KJV) – and I would submit to you that He does not let you out of His hand when you close the door of your Hyundai.

Just as we should be doing outside our automobiles, we need to be showing love to other drivers while behind the wheel. I get that it is not always easy to do. Satan has found a way to use traffic in such a way that even the best natured most even tempered Christ follower among us nearly looses their salvation every time they hit the interstate, a major thoroughfare and unfortunately even a side street.

I do not want you to sit for 20 minutes and not “jump” into traffic because you’re trying to be courteous and show God’s love. And I am not suggesting you drive too slow if traffic is moving fast and it’s not safe to observe the speed limit. But at the very least, if you cannot help but be a jerk behind the wheel please take the car that does not have the Jesus fish on the back. We have a bad enough reputation without you cutting someone off in traffic then offering them the single finger salute!

Have you experienced a driver like this? Have you ever been a driver like this? What is your favorite bumper sticker? Leave a comment below and let’s talk about it.