Jesus Is Coming

Well, that's what the decal in the back of the car's window said, and I'm in agreement with that thought. Don't know precisely when he'll get here, but he said he'd come back and I trust that.

Then there was the second line of that decal:

Look busy

Uh ... no!

You see, I believe Jesus looks for substance over appearances. If anything, appearances really seem to irritate him.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples and all who were listening to him, "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:1-6 NRSV)

So I take issue with that "look busy" part of the decal.

Stop and think about it. Jesus was interested in the essence, the motivations, the depth of why one does things. From his perspective, doing good things so other people will think you're a good person, even if that other person is Jesus, is not sufficient.

"Looks" aren't important.

Is your heart one that truly cares for the welfare of others? Are the actions you take intended to further the work Jesus began when he was among us? Do you love your neighbors as yourselves? Do you "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44 NRSV)? Tough stuff that Jesus asks us to do! And we're asked to do them not for appearances sake, but with hearts that seek the will of God and the betterment of those around us because it is the right and true thing to do.

So I'd change that second line of the decal:

Jesus Is Coming
Get Busy