The Bumper Sticker

In our town, there is a little country post office.
It is so nice to walk in the doors and be known by name.
There is never a line to wait for service.
There is a tiny bell on the counter that is to be rung so someone knows you are there.

Our little post office closes two hours each day for lunch.
I always have to time my visits either before noon or after 2:00.
I’ve gotten used to the hours.
They are only open for a few hours on Saturday morning.

I needed to mail a package this past Saturday morning.
I drove over to the post office quite early.
As I pulled into the small parking lot, I saw an interesting car already parked in a space.
It was one of those small, boxy cars that I always notice on the roads.

This car was green but it was the back of the car that caught my eye.
The back appeared to be multicolored from a distance.
Upon closer inspection, the back of the car was covered with bumper stickers.
I parked next to the green car.

I tried to look at the bumper stickers as I pulled into the parking space.
They were destinations from all over the country.
They were places this person had apparently been over the course of time.
There were even a few bumper stickers that displayed political leanings.

I was intrigued.
I have two colleges and one law school on the back of my mini van.
I have an OBX magnet from our family vacations in the Outer Banks.
I guess you could discern things about me as well when you look at my car

However, this car had been used to travel extensively.
I imagined the miles on the odometer.
How I would have loved to sit down and hear the story of the person who owned the car.
I walked in the post office.

There in front of me was a young man finishing his passport application.
That did not surprise me.
I thought of his car sitting in his garage or driveway waiting for him to return.
I thought of the airplane he would most surely take to a new destination.

I thought of the bumper sticker he could add to what little room was left on his car.
I thought of the love of travel this young man must have to have gone so many places.
I wanted to talk to him, ask him questions, but thought better of it.
He was still in his car when I left the post office, but I didn’t want to intrude.

I drove away thinking about all of his bumper stickers.
I thought of the truth they conveyed.
Truth that he may not even have been aware of.
Truth that is the reality for each of us.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of  the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life…You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You know that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on human hearts. (2 Corinthians 2:14-16 and 3:2,3)

We are like the car with all the bumper stickers.
We leave a bit of ourselves everywhere we go.
We take a bit of the places we have been with us when we return.
We are travelers; we are pilgrims on this life journey.

What if we had a bumper sticker for everyone with whom we shared the Gospel?
What if we had a magnet for those places we have been when we shared Christ?
What if our cars showed the places we have been as we do His Kingdom work?
What if we all had a bumper sticker that displayed our own eternal destination?

What if our spiritual journey was displayed prominently on the back of our cars?
What would others know about us?
Would we be a world traveler or a couch potato where the Gospel is concerned?
Would our beliefs, if displayed, give others an idea of where we stand?

What if we walked up to the counter to apply for our spiritual passport?
What kind of identification would we need?
What kind of questions would we be asked?
Would we know how to answer them?

Could we answer the one important question?
Are we ready to answer the question that will insure our entrance into the City?
Why should I let you into Heaven?
How would we answer?

Well, here are my credentials.
Look at all I’ve done; look at the places I’ve been.
Look at all my good works.
Look at me.

No bumper sticker displaying our own achievements will ever do.
As we stand before God the Father, we have only one answer that will suffice.

My right to Heaven is what Jesus has done.
Jesus died for me.
Jesus died in my place and I trust His work on my behalf.
I stand before You, not in my own righteousness, but in the Righteousness of Christ.

That is my only claim.
Jesus died in my place and I trust His work on my behalf.
Jesus did the work; Jesus did the traveling; Jesus left His mark on me.
Jesus secured my salvation.

Only one bumper sticker is needed.
Heaven bound.
The only passport required is belief in Jesus’ finished work on the cross.
Can you see the stamp that God the Father places on our spiritual passport?

SAVED!
Destination: Heaven.

 

2 responses to “The Bumper Sticker”

1. Gina, I cannot tell you how much these words meant to me….as if God Himself, we’re speaking. So many times I am discouraged, and lonely…wondering why am I here…away from everyone I knew, my family, my friends….yet meeting so many wonderful people, doing work ( music) we love. Touching lives so precious to our Jesus…opening doors to share the hope that lies within us. Today your words reminded me of our eternal purpose…not just to sing a song that helps provide income for our living & giving….but to find a crack into the life of a person enabling a friendship to begin…and who knows where it may lead. Today, I needed this reminder…this encouragement. So we will play on…trusting our Lord to open doors….trusting him with those doors that appear to have closed or are closing till He calls us home. I miss you. I wish I had spent more time knowing you. But I praise God He has led you to this. God bless you, my sister.

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   • Donna,
     Your words touched my heart.
     It is so hard to see His plans in our everyday lives; we question what God could possibly be doing. But He knows best; He knows the people he want us to come in contact with every day for His Glory. You and Mike have an amazing music ministry. I am sure many are blessed by your gifts and your faithfulness. Blessings to you both today. Press on!
     Gina

     Reply