This is a story that wouldn’t make a lot of sense to open a devotional thought…except to the type of person who would be attracted to this website!

            I’ve been working in full-time parachurch ministry since 1971.  Although there’ve been many more positives than negatives, I’ll admit that one limitation has been to my earning power.  And, as a car guy, my aspirations typically exceeded my resources.  Yet that never kept me from looking.

            The year was 1987.  We had just received a $3,000 windfall; that was more cash than my wife and I had pulled together in out entire marriage.  We were driving past a used car lot when I abruptly pulled to the right and started to back up along the curb.  My wife had experienced this bizarre behavior before; she knew what was coming next.

            We got out of our truck, walked onto the lot, and stood there gawking in admiration (and more than a little wishful thinking.)

Me:      That is a gorgeous car.

            Her:      It sure is.

            Me:      I’ve always loved that color.

            Her:      It’s one of my favorites…and look at the shine on that paint job.

            Me:      I love the lines.

            Her:      That hood goes on forever.

            Me:      Do you think they’d let us go on a test drive?

            Her:      I don’t know.  It wouldn’t hurt to ask.

            By noon the next day…combining the $3,000 that was burning a hole in my checkbook and a 90-day loan from my in-laws to make up the difference…Cathie and I had purchased the most expensive vehicle in our marriage and were driving a “new to us” car.  However, the very true conversation that I have related above is not exactly what it initially appears to be.

            As we were standing on that lot, shoulder to shoulder, I was facing to the left and she was facing to the right; we were looking at two different vehicles.  I was salivating over a bright yellow 1976 Corvette; Cathie’s eye had been captured by a 1980 Eldorado, bright red with a white “Phaeton” vinyl top.

            Communication is often misconstrued.  As a chaplain to the world of motorsports, I have often heard people say, “I’m a Christian.”  But on further examination, that phrase doesn’t always mean the same thing to every person.

            For a few, “I’m a Christian” equates to “I’m an American…and America is a Christian nation.”

            To others, “I’m a Christian” is their way of saying, “I went to church when I was a kid and grew up in a Christian family.”

            And again there are those for whom “I’m a Christian” is how they tell their story that, “I have received Christ as my Lord and Savior—He is living in my heart and I seek to live for him on a daily basis.”

In the book of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 21 through 23, we learn: Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?”  Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!”

If you want to be able to say, “I’m a Christian,” and know with certainty what you are communicating, you can call 1-888-NEEDHIM at any time, twenty-four hours a day.

Oh, by the way.  We drove that red Eldorado from 1987 through 1995!

Paul Neighbors