As I was reading my bible early this morning a thought occurred to me. That is scary I know...thoughts don't often just happen to me as I usually have to work pretty hard to get one to even wander into my tiny mind...but hey, I digress. I was reading first Samuel and it was talking about how Eli no longer held the Ark of the Covenant in high regard or even recognized the great work and blessing afforded his accestors by God during their journey from bondage in Egypt. It got me thinking..is today really any different? Do people today hold the same or any respect in some instances for the symbols of their faith?
Christians as a rule hold the Cross as probably the most prominent symbol of their faith. There is also the ichthus, christian fish symbol used by the early church to identify meeting places. Many people today have bumper stickers, stick on insignia for their vehicles, jewelry such as necklaces, rings or earrings with these beloved images on them. But, what significance do these symbols really have to the people who display them? Are they used simply as decoration or do they truly hold some level spiritual meaning to those who adorn themselves and their possessions with them?
I would hazard a guess to observe that both may be true. To some, it is a symbol of the inward change they feel and the growing relationsip they have with their Savior. To others, it's just something pretty to wear or display.
On my way home from work a couple of days ago I was sitting in traffic on one of the busier streets in downtown. I was in a line at a traffic signal at a major intersection. It was hot and humid and right at evening rush hour so as you can imagine people were cranky, tired and just trying to get home or where ever they go after work. Some may even have been trying to get to work. In front of me was a minivan: shiny, relatively new looking and there on the back right in the center of the lift gate gleamed an icthus decal just to the right of a golden cross. I admired it. I thought to myself how well it matched the color of the vehicle and how well placed it was. The afternoon sun was making it sparkle so that it almost appeared to have a spotlight directly on it. I was almost mesmerized by it.
Then it happened. As I sat behind this vehicle waiting my turn to go through the intersection, the driver yelled something out her window and made a gesture at the driver of the small car in front of her. I wasn't certain what had happened but I think the driver of the little car in front of her had cut her off or not moved quickly enough for her. Either way, it was a small infraction and did not deserve the reaction they received. Beyond that however, I was astounded that someone who would proudly display symbols of a christian faith on their vehicle for everyone to see would behave that way. I realized ofcourse, there were many possibilities. It may not have been the owner of the vehicle that was driving it at that moment. Or, maybe they were just having a pothole moment in their road of faith. Or just maybe this person was in a crisis of some sort that had her way outside her normal behavior. It's not mine to judge and I decided to pray for her and I did. I asked God to work in what ever circumstance that lady was experiencing. To give her peace and encouragement and the strength she needed to hold on to God whatever her spiritual situation truly was.
I realized through all of this however, how many times people who are "christian" may display the beloved symbols of their beliefs thinking that just maybe they might be able to influence the world or some small part of it for Jesus. But then they let life and their reactions to it undermine whatever impact they may have had by behaving in a way that is certainly contrary to their beliefs. I wondered how many times I had done that myself. How many instances of life have I allowed to over shadow the light I was trying to shine in the darkness of the world? I pray however many times it has been, and I am relatively certain there have been a few, that it will be many less than it would have been because I saw how easy it would be to send the wrong impression to someone you don't even know. I want to be more aware of the example I am setting and the impact that I have on others however large or small it may be.
Christians as a rule hold the Cross as probably the most prominent symbol of their faith. There is also the ichthus, christian fish symbol used by the early church to identify meeting places. Many people today have bumper stickers, stick on insignia for their vehicles, jewelry such as necklaces, rings or earrings with these beloved images on them. But, what significance do these symbols really have to the people who display them? Are they used simply as decoration or do they truly hold some level spiritual meaning to those who adorn themselves and their possessions with them?
I would hazard a guess to observe that both may be true. To some, it is a symbol of the inward change they feel and the growing relationsip they have with their Savior. To others, it's just something pretty to wear or display.
On my way home from work a couple of days ago I was sitting in traffic on one of the busier streets in downtown. I was in a line at a traffic signal at a major intersection. It was hot and humid and right at evening rush hour so as you can imagine people were cranky, tired and just trying to get home or where ever they go after work. Some may even have been trying to get to work. In front of me was a minivan: shiny, relatively new looking and there on the back right in the center of the lift gate gleamed an icthus decal just to the right of a golden cross. I admired it. I thought to myself how well it matched the color of the vehicle and how well placed it was. The afternoon sun was making it sparkle so that it almost appeared to have a spotlight directly on it. I was almost mesmerized by it.
Then it happened. As I sat behind this vehicle waiting my turn to go through the intersection, the driver yelled something out her window and made a gesture at the driver of the small car in front of her. I wasn't certain what had happened but I think the driver of the little car in front of her had cut her off or not moved quickly enough for her. Either way, it was a small infraction and did not deserve the reaction they received. Beyond that however, I was astounded that someone who would proudly display symbols of a christian faith on their vehicle for everyone to see would behave that way. I realized ofcourse, there were many possibilities. It may not have been the owner of the vehicle that was driving it at that moment. Or, maybe they were just having a pothole moment in their road of faith. Or just maybe this person was in a crisis of some sort that had her way outside her normal behavior. It's not mine to judge and I decided to pray for her and I did. I asked God to work in what ever circumstance that lady was experiencing. To give her peace and encouragement and the strength she needed to hold on to God whatever her spiritual situation truly was.
I realized through all of this however, how many times people who are "christian" may display the beloved symbols of their beliefs thinking that just maybe they might be able to influence the world or some small part of it for Jesus. But then they let life and their reactions to it undermine whatever impact they may have had by behaving in a way that is certainly contrary to their beliefs. I wondered how many times I had done that myself. How many instances of life have I allowed to over shadow the light I was trying to shine in the darkness of the world? I pray however many times it has been, and I am relatively certain there have been a few, that it will be many less than it would have been because I saw how easy it would be to send the wrong impression to someone you don't even know. I want to be more aware of the example I am setting and the impact that I have on others however large or small it may be.
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