Bumper Stickers

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Luke 24:37-39 (NIV)

I love reading bumper stickers on the backs of cars. Some are funny like “Forget World Peace, Visualize Using Your Turn Signal” or “No my windows are not dirty, that’s my dog’s nose art.” Two of my favorites are “Well Behaved Women Rarely Make History,” and “Horses are my Therapy.” Others are more serious, “Drive Carefully. Motorcycles are Everywhere.” Still others give clues about favorite schools, sports teams, hobbies (“I am therefore I knit”) and pets. Recently I saw a little mini Cooper with the following stickers on it: “Hillary for President”, “Member, Wildlife Conservancy”, and “Save the Trees.” It would be easy to draw a conclusion about its owner except it also had parking stickers for a local yacht club and a nearby air force base. I think that little car had a touch of schizophrenia. My husband does not like bumper stickers because he thinks they devalue cars by affecting the paint. None of our cars have them, but he will allow window decals. I have three. Two share my love of horses. “Morgan Horse” proclaims one, while the other says, “A woman’s place is on a horse.” When a co worker saw it, he quipped, “As opposed to under one?” referring to my well known ability to fall off my horse. The third sticker relates to my son’s school. I am pleased to promote a place that has done so much to help him grow into the fine, young man that he is. With our country in election mode, a lot of bumper stickers are political in nature. I do not usually promote politics on my car, but have finally found a candidate that I think might represent my beliefs and values. I went right out and got a sticker to show my support, but I have not yet affixed it to my car. There is of course, my husband’s warning, but there is also the fact that a bumper sticker is a fairly permanent display of one’s feelings. There are still two months until the election, and I cannot help but fear that this candidate may disappoint me yet. After all, the news media is quick to tell me why I should be concerned. So, the sticker sits on my kitchen counter as I contemplate how deeply I am committed. I think I have found a compromise. I plan on taping the bumper sticker to my back window. Then, I can remove it quickly and with little effort should I decide I will not vote the way I am leaning today. I may have my misgivings about who I will support this election, but there is one thing I have no doubt about. I know for a fact, that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and that He is alive today. How do I know? Because of the evidence of what He has done in my own life. How I live that life is better than any bumper sticker can testify. I am a living bumper sticker!