I followed the highway preacher (at far less than highway speed) for a few miles, before I passed. The car's licence plate read REPENT.
As I pulled ahead, I craned my neck for a glimpse of the owner of the rolling pulpit. Who would do that? I wondered. Specially order that plate. What motivated the choice of that particular word?
The driver looked pleasant. Likely a church goin', born-again, heaven bound, Christian. Someone who had already done what every believer must - repent of their sins. Someone who aims to live and act like Jesus. And - just in case I wasn't all the above - someone who wanted me to REPENT too.
God bless 'em, I did have an attitude or two to shuck: beginning with annoyance. I AM a Christ-follower. (I cringe when I say this, because the older I get, the more I know how poorly I follow.) I repent almost daily of something. I understand that the ability to sorrowfully admit our failings, our flaws, our sins to a holy God and receive the grace of forgiveness is an unspeakable gift.
But license plates like that bother me. At best, they seem a lazy way of introducing other people to my faith. At worst, an offensive - even dangerous - way.
Why so? Because any slip in traffic courtesy on the part of the driver is likely to push observers away from the Christ we purport to follow. Because the driver doesn't have to engage people. And because he or she has no way of communicating with anyone who may actually want to talk about repentance.
John the Baptist called sinners to repentance. John had a divine appointing as a forerunner of Jesus Christ. But John didn't drive a Volkswagen Rabbit. He walked. He preached. People responded to his singular message because his God-appointed words reached people's hurting, broken spirits.
John allowed others to come to him - he didn't press the gas and pass. He stuck around long enough to visit, to teach, and even to baptize people. He wasn't afraid to be real or to express his own doubts.
Sharing the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ is the privilege and responsibility of every Christ follower. We all do that in different ways, many of them unconscious; hopefully with humility, keeping in mind that pointing fingers at people we think should repent leaves three more pointing back at me.
I'm sure the driver of that car knows all that. And I'm not saying God can't use that license in the life of someone in whom he is already at work.
But honestly? I won't be putting a plate like that on my car any time soon.
