I had the misfortune of watching a morning “news” program the other day. On it was the talking head of a pundit decrying the use of sports utility vehicles (SUV). Her premise was that driving such vehicles supported terrorism by increasing our dependence on Arab oil. As a further means of proving her point, she asked the parody question,”What would Jesus drive?”
I’ve noticed an increase in this kind of rhetoric by the environmental doom crowd. All very convenient, since Jesus is not specifically quoted on the issues SUV’s or the environment. Well, actually he is on the environment, what with the stars falling from the heavens and the elements melting away, etc. Talk about global warming! But that was not to be from people driving SUV’s. God would be mad about other things, like the great tribulation, and will mess up the environment without any help from gas guzzlers or air pollution. All we know about Jesus and transportation is that he mostly walked, took a boat, or rode a donkey. But what would Jesus drive?
Well, he drove demons out of people and money changers out of the Temple. Some might say he rode them hard, but that really isn’t the same thing. Neither activity was politically correct at the time, so its plausible that such behavior might continue to this day.
What would Jesus drive? Let’s see, he had twelve disciples that had to keep up, so that would be a twelve passenger van, no, thirteen, including Jesus, so make it a small bus. He also had a bunch of other followers that aren’t numbered. If they were part of the crew, you know, stage hands, promoters, then they would need a bus or two. After all, if Jesus were alive today, the question wouldn’t just be what would he drive, but how would he communicate? Would he use a contemporary worship service or stay with the tired old synagogue order? But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
So the Jesus motorcade rolls into Jerusalem and the talking heads say, “Just look at him wasting all that gas! Doesn’t he know he’s increasing our dependence on Gentile oil? How can he be the Messiah if he doesn’t care about Israel’s vulnerabilities, not to mention the environment?” To which a second talking head replies, “You’re missing the point. How else would he get here? A fleet of Yugo’s? No, the real issue is whether or not he wants to become Messiah without going through the electoral process. Are we going to throw out our traditions just because he throws out demons? He claims his power is from God, and that may be, but we still have to vote.” Yet a third talking head says, “I don’t buy his power from God claim, but he certainly is persuasive. Besides, has anyone actually heard him say that he wants to be Messiah? I think he’s not political. He’s more of an entertainer and commentator. Its his power to control the minds of his followers that frightens me.”
We may think we are superior to our ancestors, but some things don’t change. If you are in God’s service, someone is always out to crucify you. Jesus told his detractors that “The son of man comes eating and drinking, and you call him a glutton and a drunk.” I suspect those same people today would call him a gas guzzler and environmentally insensitive. After all, if the cattle on the thousand hills are his, what is that doing to the ozone hole?
What would Jesus drive? Hopefully our hearts, thoughts and motives. There are those, however, he only drives to distraction.
Rev. Dennis P. Levin