We live in a broken world. Sin has damaged God’s creation. We know this to be true. We see it everywhere, especially in our own homes. I have yet to meet someone who says marriage is easy and raising kids is a breeze. Every one of our days is met with challenges. These challenges come in the form of brokenness, and it can be seen in community. You can liken any community, big or small, to bumper cars. We tend to bump into each other as we navigate this path of faith.
While the birth of a baby is a blessed event, the parents have no idea what they are in for. Will their child be an easy baby or not? Will he be strong-willed or easy-going? What struggles will he have? No matter what, that little life is yours to raise and you are called to meet the challenges and some days can get bumpy.
Marriage is no different. You and your spouse won’t stay the same as the years go by. You will experience joys along with bumps and bruises as you both learn to live as one; you know, like Jesus did with His Father while He walked this earth.
A constant rebuilding of faith needs to take place among the brokenness. It’s a daily practice of humility, agape love, and discipline that can only be found in Christ. 2 Peter 1-12 talks of why life can be likened to bumper cars. Peter helps to smooth out our paths so we aren’t bumping into our loved ones so easily.
What do you glean from these verses?
So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness; verses 1-3. If we walk with Christ immaturely, we will act immaturely in our relationships and we will bump into each other causing frustrations to occur.
You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but He was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What’s more, you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God; verses 4-5. How you treat those around you matters to God. You are to make every effort to steer away from bumping into your loved ones. Jesus drove his bumper car without bumping into anyone. People bumped into Him all the time. This is because of their disobedience. It’s no different today. Read verses 6-8 and see the effects of disobedience.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light. Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy; verses 9-10. We are to act differently than the world. The world is lost and focused on themselves, and they have no hope. We have eternal hope and we must share it with everyone, especially those in our own homes.
Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors (those close to you). Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when He judges the world; verses 11-12. Our bumper cars become a whole lot more active when we each choose to live indifferent from God’s ways. It matters if you are jealous, bitter, frustrated, even resentful; just to name a few sins that can erupt within us. While these sins can be covered and hidden easily, they will disrupt relationships. Sin must be dealt with at its root and not covered up with excuses; read 1 Peter 5:6-7 and Hebrews 12:1.
We all have sins that erupt and disrupt causing bumper-to-bumper traffic. The question is, what will YOU do in your own car? God is calling YOU to walk with Him in such a way that you offer His love, grace, and mercy to those around you. Despite all the bumping, God will continue to walk with YOU. And that will be enough for you know that what lies ahead is what is important.
Heaven is waiting for those who have chosen to lay down their lives for Christ. Despite all the bumping, God says it will be worth it!
Carol J German 