There was a fad years ago. People would wear bracelets and T-shirts with the acronym, "WWJD" written on it. There were bumper stickers and coffee mugs. People could not get enough of the What Would Jesus Do phenomenon.
I parked in the parking lot and sat for a moment. Today was my first day to run errands without kids in months. Summer was over and the boys were back in school. I missed them but the silence felt good in that moment. I got out of my car and notice a sticker on the minivan next to me. It said, "Smiling is a charity." I love that. A smile goes a long way in someone else's day. A moment later, I noticed the quote was from Mohammed and the sticker was promoting Islam.
Ironically, the SUV right next to this minivan also had a sticker on the back window. This sticker had a cross, an equals sign, and a heart implying the cross equals love. Hmmmmm. I had to take a picture. There was something about these two cars parking right next to each other haphazardly that spoke to me.
I wanted to know more about the driver of the minivan. I assumed she, like me, was a mama who was just as excited about going to Target alone. There is something divine about roaming those aisles in the silence. I also wanted to find the driver of the SUV with the cross sticker. How would that person react if he/she knew the owner of the vehicle parked next to them was a follower of Islam. Would that cross really show love to that person?
I looked at the picture I took of the two cars and noticed yet another conundrum. I was at Target. Oh, good gravy. Target. We all love Target but we didn't love them so much a few months ago. Us Christians and many that don't follow the faith had a field day with good ole Target and the decisions they made.
So, there I sat. I was parked next to a minivan with an Islamic owner, another SUV with a Christian owner, about to head into a controversial super store.
And then the phrase, WWJD, popped into my head. Where would Jesus go if He were me? Would He have moved his vehicle a few rows away out of fear of what that Islamic driver might do? Would He even enter such a controversial store?
No. No, I believe He wouldn't. He would be right up in all the business. He would park next to that car and invite that person to eat. He would walk into Target loving on every single soul in there doing life with the people. He would be the first one to walk alongside.
Why then, do we, especially Christians, shun people and businesses that do not follow our beliefs when the One who saved us would be right in the thick of it? Why do we move our cars to get away from those who follow different religions? Why do we attack and picket places that never followed Christian values in the first place?
We are scared. We are like the religious leaders and Pharisees Jesus shunned and spoke against in the New Testament. We are them and we have got to stop.
An innocent parking place opened my eyes to so much. There are many things the church gets right, but this is one area where we struggle. We run. We hide. We run our mouths. When, instead, we should be right in the thick of it because that is exactly where Jesus would have parked his car.
Where are you going to park your car today? Where are you going to visit that may make you a little uncomfortable? Where are you going to go, what are you going to do, to show the love of Christ today? I promise you that moving your car because the minivan next to you makes you uncomfortable is not it.
Go. Do. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. Don't walk away. Don't be afraid. Don't move your car. He's got you. He will help you through the uncomfortable and the scary. If Jesus would park His car there, so will I.
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
Love & Blessings,
Meg
I parked in the parking lot and sat for a moment. Today was my first day to run errands without kids in months. Summer was over and the boys were back in school. I missed them but the silence felt good in that moment. I got out of my car and notice a sticker on the minivan next to me. It said, "Smiling is a charity." I love that. A smile goes a long way in someone else's day. A moment later, I noticed the quote was from Mohammed and the sticker was promoting Islam.
Ironically, the SUV right next to this minivan also had a sticker on the back window. This sticker had a cross, an equals sign, and a heart implying the cross equals love. Hmmmmm. I had to take a picture. There was something about these two cars parking right next to each other haphazardly that spoke to me.
I wanted to know more about the driver of the minivan. I assumed she, like me, was a mama who was just as excited about going to Target alone. There is something divine about roaming those aisles in the silence. I also wanted to find the driver of the SUV with the cross sticker. How would that person react if he/she knew the owner of the vehicle parked next to them was a follower of Islam. Would that cross really show love to that person?
I looked at the picture I took of the two cars and noticed yet another conundrum. I was at Target. Oh, good gravy. Target. We all love Target but we didn't love them so much a few months ago. Us Christians and many that don't follow the faith had a field day with good ole Target and the decisions they made.
So, there I sat. I was parked next to a minivan with an Islamic owner, another SUV with a Christian owner, about to head into a controversial super store.
And then the phrase, WWJD, popped into my head. Where would Jesus go if He were me? Would He have moved his vehicle a few rows away out of fear of what that Islamic driver might do? Would He even enter such a controversial store?
No. No, I believe He wouldn't. He would be right up in all the business. He would park next to that car and invite that person to eat. He would walk into Target loving on every single soul in there doing life with the people. He would be the first one to walk alongside.
Why then, do we, especially Christians, shun people and businesses that do not follow our beliefs when the One who saved us would be right in the thick of it? Why do we move our cars to get away from those who follow different religions? Why do we attack and picket places that never followed Christian values in the first place?
We are scared. We are like the religious leaders and Pharisees Jesus shunned and spoke against in the New Testament. We are them and we have got to stop.
An innocent parking place opened my eyes to so much. There are many things the church gets right, but this is one area where we struggle. We run. We hide. We run our mouths. When, instead, we should be right in the thick of it because that is exactly where Jesus would have parked his car.
Where are you going to park your car today? Where are you going to visit that may make you a little uncomfortable? Where are you going to go, what are you going to do, to show the love of Christ today? I promise you that moving your car because the minivan next to you makes you uncomfortable is not it.
Go. Do. Be the hands and feet of Jesus. Don't walk away. Don't be afraid. Don't move your car. He's got you. He will help you through the uncomfortable and the scary. If Jesus would park His car there, so will I.
"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:35
Love & Blessings,
Meg
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