Florida license plates

Some of may have seen the latest idea before the Florida state legislature...they are considering offering a "Christian" specialty license plate that depicts a stained glass window, a cross, and the words "I believe" written across the bottom.

Now, let me preface my comments by saying that I'm not opposed to anyone putting such a license plate on their cars, just as I'm not opposed to those who want to put a fish symbol on the back of their cars. But, I am intrigued at the logic that has gone into this decision, and I am left wondering whether this isn't just par for the course in our 21st century world.

Rep. Edward Bullard, the license plate's sponsor, said the reason why he thinks this is a good idea is that other people already have the opportunity to show that they "believe in their college or university" or "believe in their football team" by putting those things on their license plates. Why can't Christians put a plate on their cars that has "something they believe in"?

I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this kind of logic. But it makes me shudder to see Christianity lumped together with one's alma mater or one's favorite football team or race car driver. Some people like the Unversity of Texas (not that I have anything against the Longhorns!), some people like Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and some people like Christ! That's the logic. Jesus, you see, is just one among many different options. There is no fundamental difference; one is not more important than the others. You have your option; I have mine. You say po-TAY-to; I say po-TAH-to. Never mind that Jesus either is or isn't the Lord of the universe. Never mind that Jesus either is the MOST important reality in the universe OR the LEAST important one. You see, IF Jesus really is who He says that He is, then He is the singlemost important reality in all the universe, far more important than universities or sports or any other religion's god. And if Jesus is NOT who He says that He is, then He is far less important than universities, sports, and everything else good, because He would then be a liar or a lunatic, or something far worse, for claiming to be what He is not (and for leading millions upon millions astray).

Pick one or the other! But don't give me any business about Him being equal to things like one's alma mater or one's favorite sports hero or one's favorite cause.

This whole thing leaves me wondering why we need to have "Christian" license plates anyway. Why do we need to have fish stickers on the back of our cars? Why can't our lives be our "license plates"? Why can't our lives be our "stickers"? If the church returned to a first century model of living as the church, I wonder whether we would need to do any of these things. If Christians were actually living out their Christianity radically in their own spheres of influence, the way the first century church was--i.e., as those who knew their "first love" and surely hadn't lost their "first love"--I think we would have little if any need to put "I believe" on the back of our cars. We would have little if any need to put fish stickers on the back of our cars. Our neighbors in our communities would know that we are Christians by our love!

But we have privatized Christianity, haven't we? We have made it into a private matter, a matter of belief and not a world and life view. Let us strive to return to an Acts 2:42 model for the church. And, just maybe, if God is pleased so to do, maybe we will see Acts 2:47 results!

Soli Deo gloria!