Jesus Rhymes with Prius

Disclaimer: I am a Christian, so I feel like I can poke a bit of fun at my own religion. I am tolerant and loving of all people, regardless their creed. Please, if you're going to be offended, keep your comments to yourself!

Several months ago, I had a discussion in my small group at church about the fish sign on the back of people's cars. It became an interesting discussion. I will note that we live in a country that, so far, still has a first amendment. If you want to slap a fish sign on the back of your car, so be it.

Here's my hang-up. My pastor just finished a series about evangelism. I will clarify that we are a very contemporary, non-denominational church. I love my pastors and almost always chuckle and learn something. It was (I believe) a 4-part series. The last part of the series was on actually sharing (talking) with non-believers about the Gospel. The first 3 parts were about laying the foundation, about relational evangelism--caring, listening, being near, that kind of thing. Pastor Jeff pointed out that while most of us just think of witnessing with our words, there is actually a lot more that goes into it.

One of my favorite authors is Brennan Manning. His book, Ragamuffin Gospel, had a huge impact on my faith. He is quoted in the intro to a song on DC Talks album Jesus Freak. I will paraphrase, but he basically says that the single biggest stumbling block for non-believers is Christians who acknowledge Christ by their words but deny Him with their actions. This is something I have found to be severely impactful on the unbelieving world.

Hence the fish-on-the-car argument. I am not a huge fan of bumper stickers. I don't think they serve much of a purpose in getting people to stop and think about their lives. In that vein, I would like a law passed that would prohibit anyone from hanging metallic testicles from the back of their truck, but that's fodder for another day. In a world where Christians' actions are scrutinized from every angle, the last thing I want is a fish on the back of my car. First and foremost, I see them as people-repellent. The easiest way to kill a conversation is to mention Jesus Christ. Don't believe me? Try it. (Oh, and listen to Jim Gaffigan's stand-up. He mentions this and it's really funny.) The fish on the back of the car is synonymous with Jesus. So really, it's the best way to sniff out with whom you do not want to talk.

Second, I am not the best driver. I am not saying all Christians need to be perfect; rather, we are quite the opposite. We are only human. Regardless, I am sometimes a space cadet when I drive, and distracted. I have been known (pre-child) to flash a hand gesture at a driver I felt was in the wrong. I have called them names and in other ways not been a responsible driver. I don't want someone's reason to not be open to hearing the Gospel to be that they saw a crazy lady driving a blue Honda Odyssey with a fish on the back, and thank-you-very-much, but if she's a representative sample, I will pass. I want to help people keep an open mind; a fish on the back of my van, or a bumper sticker reading, "In case of the Rapture, this car will be unmanned," doesn't facilitate that goodwill.

And then there's the obvious argument. If Jesus were around today, he would (of course) drive a Prius. I believe Him to love our planet and the people in it. I believe he would do everything he could to conserve energy and lower greenhouse gasses. I don't see him driving a pimped out Escalade or similar gas-guzzler, even if it *is* his right to do so. (I'm trying not to digress.) This of course presupposes that he would drive a car. I postulate that in this post-modern society, he would want to reach as many people as possible. Owing to the fact that our society is industrial and not rural, like Israel was, he would need a safer way to reach the masses. (Sermon on the mount broadcasted from the top of his Prius.)

Now that that's settled, the question remains....would Jesus have a fish (or similar ornament) on the back of his eco-friendly car? Here's a guy who, after He rose from the dead, was walking down the road with two men and never revealed his identity. He sat down at a well and talked with a Samaritan woman. He loved people like Mary Magdalene and Zaccheus and other outcasts. He did not, I don't believe, wear a necklace with "Jesus" on it. I don't think He had business cards that He and His disciples passed out. He took many pains to hide his identity. I am not a biblical scholar, so I can't really fully explain why. My layman's explanation is that He knew it would put people off. If I'm having a conversation with someone and I find out they're an English teacher (for example), I tend to tailor my speech more. I talk in complete sentences, try to avoid hyperbole and even try to use correct punctuation. If I were talking to someone and He let it slip, "oh, by the way, I'm the Lord and Savior," I would immediately stop telling him all the interesting (but slightly blue) stories about my past. Blushing, I would clam up and then stammer on about how much I've done to further the kingdom. I would not feel worthy enough to sit in His presence (and I'm not even a prostitute or tax collector).

I say all of this because I believe the best service I can perform to further the kingdom is largely to keep my mouth shut. I am usually disinclined to share my faith with anyone, unless said person asks me and we are alone and chatting. I think the Billy Graham type of evangelism has it's place, but for me, I think I have the biggest impact one person at a time. The less I say, the more people feel comfortable around me. I would rather keep my mouth shut during a heated debate about how Christians have this whole thing wrong. In that environment, my words will just be another dimension of noise. I think evangelism has to be done quietly, over a period time and, above all, by demonstrating actions rather than spouting platitudes and cliches on the back of your car.

I wonder what I'll write about tomorrow....