Monday, July 20, 2009

What are you Willing to Die For?

Yesterday I was reading various news articles online, and I came across a story with a headline that caught my attention. It was about a Florida woman who has driven the same car since 1964. In this article, she is quoted as saying "People don't want to talk to me anymore. They're tired of hearing about my Chariot (the pet name for her car)". She also said that she keeps a .38-caliber handgun in case anyone tries to steal her car. "Somebody's going to go down with me if I get in that situation," she said. "I'm not going down alone."

At the close of the article, she was asked if she considered trading in her car under President Obama's "Cash for Clunkers" program, which gives $4,500 to motorists who trade in older cars with poor gas mileage. She replied: "He ain't gonna get mine. I'll die fighting for her."

On the one hand, I felt a sense of admiration for a 90 year old woman who still has this much passion in life. But then a thought occurred to me. Isn't this commitment, this love, and this willingness to fight and die horribly misplaced?

There are three things that are worthy of being willing to fight and die to protect; our families, our nation, and our triune God. Of these three, only one of these offers the promise of eternal salvation, and that is death in defense of our belief in God the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit. In 21st century North America, it is almost unthinkable to be put in a situation where we have to make the choice between saving our life here on Earth or professing our belief in Christianity and being killed for it. I believe that most of us would fail that test if it were put to us.

This woman in Florida is willing to die to save her car. Are you willing to die to save your soul?

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