Seat belts were only in the front seats when the U.S. National Highway Safety Bureau automobile manufactures require to install seat belts in 1968. Today, we have seat belts in the front and back as well as airbags for safety. However, the problem is that not many people were using seat belts until state laws were passed. Once people were pulled over for not wearing a seat belt and ticketed, more people started to buckle up. Therefore, California even had, “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign in 2005 which brought 92%+ people buckling up. The fine could add up to minimum of $142 (fine and processing fees) to several hundreds of dollars.
What is the meaning and purpose of seat belt? A seat belt is probably the most important safety feature in a automobile. Nevertheless, often people are casual about the use of a seat belt and more often than not, they put it on to avoid citation worth $150 or so. What was created to provide possible life-saving safety is considered a citation-preventing task. People were driven to put on seat belt in order to avoid fine and driven by safety!
I am guilty of this, too. I get into my car and buckle up because I don’t want to get pulled over NOT that I want to keep myself safe in case of accident.
I wonder if we are doing the same thing with our worship and walk with God. Do we come to worship on Sunday because that’s what Christians do and to avoid being labeled as mediocre Christian? I hope and pray that Life Church people will come to worship and approach God because He is life-giving, unconditionally-loving, and source of our strength, wisdom and hope and NOT merely trying to avoid guilt and discipline.
So when you buckle up… remember to “buckle up” in God’s grace and love, too!
Have a wonderful week!
Pastor Loren