What Did I Do?

2015-11-01 Pastor's Corner

Oh no! Police lights in the rearview mirror! Your pulse quickens! You look at the speedometer, but you’re not speeding. You wonder if you have a tail light out. Did you make an illegal lane change? What did I do?!?

Nothing … you’re in Panama. This past Friday, I drove almost all the way from Gorgona to Capira with that scene out my back window. I did instinctively slow down, but then I saw the word “Bomberos” plastered across the vehicle’s hood. Those pretty colored lights don’t mean pull over in this country. They mean something more like, “Here I am … I’m official … see my pretty lights.”

And yet … we don’t want to forget what we’re supposed to do when we see them in the U.S. or Canada. That could be disastrous. When they have you out of the car face down on the asphalt, they’re probably not going to care what flashing lights do or don’t mean in Panama. Here we live by one set of rules, but it’s not wise to forget the rules of your country of origin.

For Christians, it’s even more difficult. We have to live with an eye on two sets of rules. We see that in 1 Peter 2:11-13,

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.  Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority …

God’s purpose for our being good citizens of both worlds is evangelistic. The witness of our lives is supposed to point people to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Never lose sight of where your real citizenship lies … the Gospel is on the line.


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