AUTO INSURANCE CHRISTIANITY
Recently I had the terrific privilege of discussing with associate agent regarding all the Brobdingnagian and plentiful householders and automotive vehicle insurance choices. Fun times. within the method, of course, my driving history emerged and have become a subject of spoken communication. He asked Maine regarding the fender bender that happened a year and a 0.5 agone that was, yes, my fault. And, he asked Maine regarding the 2 rushing tickets I actually have received throughout the last five years. To which, again, were of course - my fault. The agent proceeded to tell me, after I acknowledged my massive guilt, that he found one company that would forgive the infractions. I thought, "wow, that's nice." This was soon followed by, "but they want to track your driving for 90 days." In other words, this company will take me on as one of their insured drivers - and treat me as if I have no infractions over the past 5 years - IF they are given permission to put a chip in my vehicle to track my driving for 90 days. Honestly, I didn't like the thought of being monitored, but said, "hey, if it will save me some money - let's do it." So, come July, I will have a chip in my car and will be the one going slower than all the grannies out there in order to prove to my insurance company that I am a good and safe driver.Why do I tell you this? Because I fear that is what many - if not most - Christians feel God to be like. We are forgiven. Whew! We are released of our past mistakes. Yay! We are not going to be destroyed by the mean guy. We can keep on living to the next level or stage of life. But we live as if God is watching us - out to get us - ready to strike us down again when we get out of line. Ready to put us in our place if we don't toe the line. We live as if we have to prove ourselves over and over and over to God so that He will like us again or keep on liking us or won't punish us anymore.
Friends, that is NOT Christianity. Christianity is not "hoping" that God will forgive you and then going on to live a life of probation. Christianity is not hoping God will still love you at the end of the week or after 90 days. Christianity is not seeing how many good things you can do to prove to yourself and to God that it's real after you prayed the prayer. No, no. Christianity is realizing the way you were living was lifeless and joyless and empty and unfulfilling and deserving of punishment. But God - though He had every right to punish - loved you instead and demonstrated it by sending His Son. Christianity is being so convinced of God's love that you now don't live a life of righteousness as if it is a burden that you have to prove yourself to God. No, no. It is being so convinced of God's love and commitment to you in Jesus that you wouldn't want to live any other way. You wouldn't want to do any other thing. You don't want to live any other way than in righteous obedience to Him. That's Christianity. Not a fear that He is out to get you, but a fear that falling into sin again will only set you backwards in life and joy and happiness.
