Draw Near – 365 Guides to Greater Intimacy with GodSample

JUST HONK

A Catholic priest told of driving behind a car with the message "Honk if you love Jesus" on the bumper sticker. "I don't exactly approve of that sort of thing," he said, "but maybe it was the nice weather or something." While stopped behind the car at a traffic light, the priest honked and waved. The lady in the car stuck out her head and yelled, "Can't you see the light is red, stupid?" The priest laughed and said, "It serves me right."

This incident reminds us that we often are tempted to act out of character with our Christian witness. In the heat of busy days, we sometimes say or do things that are not a good testimony for the Kingdom. The lady's attitude was wrong, and she probably later regretted it.

Paul squarely approached the problem of being human. He admonishes us always to act like believers and reminds us that when we do not, God can and will call this to our attention. If the lady driver was a sincere believer in Christ, she was convicted of her sin and asked forgiveness from Christ. It is wonderful to realize that God loves us so much He demands our best. He makes us uncomfortable when we do wrong and tells us how to correct it. Paul said God's Word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).