Many of us take our lives in our hands when we surround ourselves with cocoons of steel, plastic, glass, and rubber. My truck, Tonka 02, does a better job of protecting my carcass than most vehicles would, but there is still a risk factor.

Nearly every day, I drive part of Highway #41, officially known as the Tamiami Trail. Long before interstates existed, this highway was THE way to travel from Tampa to Miami. If one knows where to look, she can still follow much of the original road as it snakes down the crooks and crannies of the intercoastal waterway. Only recently were the last of the original bricks covered with asphalt.

On a recent Sunday morning, Tonka 02 and I headed north on “The Trail”. We were going to church together. As we approached a busy intersection, an elderly lady, without a glance in any direction, rocketed off the cross street and managed a two wheel right turn, right through the red light. Her yellow Mercedes, with its leather upholstery and look of “old” money came within a couple of feet of whacking my truck.

I instinctively laid on my horn button and sent out a short blast in her direction. Perhaps, just as instinctively, she raised her right hand, pointed it toward me and shot me a bird. That’s perhaps the politest term I can come up with to describe her crude single digit salute! The experience seemed to exhilarate her to the point of repeating it several times.

Well, I don’t believe near collisions are worth dying for, so I just followed her up the road. As I pulled closer, I noticed an interesting bumper sticker. It had the initials “WWJD”. Now, I know what those letters stand for. I see them daily on bracelets, necklaces, books, greeting cards. Lots and lots of my friends have those letters proudly displayed in just about every imaginable manner.

Under the letters, WWJD, was the explanation, right on the bumper sticker so there could be no doubt about the meaning. “What Would Jesus Do?” That’s what they stand for. Not a bad question, if you ask me. I might change it just a little and ask, “What Would Jesus Have Me Do?”, but I’m not going to quibble about it. Those four letters have sparked many conversations as unknowing folks ask, “What do those initials stand for?” Many opportunities for talking about Jesus have come about because of those displays.

Taking this woman at her word, I would love to have had an opportunity to ask her this question: Would Jesus Have Repeatedly Made An Obscene Gesture At Me? Or, Would Jesus Have Encouraged Me To Follow The Example Of This Woman?

I do not display religious bumper stickers on Tonka. (If you’d like to learn more about my view on this subject, go to the Inside Out archives and look up “Bumper Sticker Theology”.) I’ve heard some of the comments made by non- believers about the apparent hypocrisy they see. The message on the bumper sticker doesn’t always match the behavior or driving habits of the believer behind the wheel.

I know this: on a recent Sunday morning, a lady behaved in a most un-Christlike manner, while displaying a bumper sticker that asked a question whose answer belied her behavior.

WHAT LIFE LESSONS “STICK” OUT?

• Character counts!
• If you choose to deal with character-related issues on the bumper of your car, understand that you’re going to be held to a higher standard!
• If you want to advertise your faith on your bumper, you won’t get any hassle from me. However, make sure your behavior and attitude don’t shout and scream “HYPOCRISY”!

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