Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, December 29, 2023
Nowadays I’m seeing a lot of “New Driver” bumper stickers. And once in a while the sticker-applier gets creative. I once saw a car where the “New Driver” sticker had been placed upside down on the rear bumper—as though to offer helpful information in case the car had turned over on its roof! (I have often wondered if in that case the applier was a daughter’s father!)
This past July I spotted a new specimen of this creativity. In this case, three stickers have been affixed to the rear, and two more on the left side. (I didn’t think to check the right side, but I’m assuming it was similarly festooned.)
I always love to speculate about the story behind such displays. The car looks very new (I’ve erased the plate number for privacy), and it seems freshly washed. So whoever owns the car cares for it—but not too much to keep a beginning driver from getting behind the wheel. But the sticker indicates caring not only for the car but for the New Driver, and the multiple stickers might signal another case of “dad humor.”
Where am I going with this? I think it’s a wonderful parable about God’s love for us. The “vehicles” He has provided for our use are incredibly engineered, yet He trusts us with these bodies. No matter how young or old we are, each one of us—as we launch ourselves into each new day—is a New Driver. Right now, as I’m writing this, I just listened to a phone message from someone who is confused by a Bible story and would like some guidance. So when I call them tomorrow, I’m going to be doing something I hadn’t planned on doing. Though I will respond cheerfully and enthusiastically, because the request is important, it wasn’t originally on my to-do list.
When I make the call, of course, I’m going to use the Bible to explain the Bible. I’ll walk through the confusing part step by step, and explain how it fits into the rest of Scripture.
Want some good kick-start info about the Bible? The texts at the following link will be very helpful.