Acts 17:30b
…but now (God) commands all people everywhere to repent.
People are the same the world over. We don’t always dress the same, or drive the same, or speak the same (this last distinction once played a role in me unknowingly cussing out a group of school children in Rio, but that’s another story!), but at the core of who we are, there isn’t much difference in mankind in California or Calcutta. I realized this on a recent ride through the busy streets of Delhi, India, as I prayed for God to spare my life while clinging to the back of a motorized rickshaw.
It wasn’t the NASCAR-worthy driving that made me realize it. Nor was it the way the driver seemed to grin the more we groaned. It wasn’t even the numerous rickshaws that held 2-3 times the number of people it was built for. Nope, it was none of those. What made me realize that people are the same the world over were the rickshaws that passed us that were decorated in all kinds of crazy ways. Some had flowers, some had flashing lights. Heck, I even saw (and heard) one that had a sound system in it! Apparently “Pimp My Rickshaw” is quite the show over in India!
Just like back here in the land o’ grits, people there felt the need to try and stand out from the crowd. They wanted to show that they were just a bit different from the other drivers commanding rickshaws with other passengers praying, smiling, or groaning. It made me think of all the drivers here in the States who – in an attempt to be different – have adorned their vehicles with everything from fuzzy dice to bobble-head figures to Calvin peeing on whatever make of car they don’t like. Funny, though, that everyone else has the same stuff so they will stand out, too. Of course, in the end, it just shows how alike we all are, and that’s probably a good thing.
God commands all men everywhere to repent, because no matter where you go, men everywhere need to repent. This isn’t rocket science. People everywhere want to feel better about who they are, but the only way for that to really happen is for us to all meet at the same place: the foot of the cross.
So, no matter what you’re driving – plain rickshaws or pimped rickshaws – you need to park it long enough to acknowledge your need for a Savior. The light He gives will be more than enough to make you stand out.
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