The whole thing caught me off guard.
We recently bought a “new to us” car. Rather than trade in our old car at the dealership, I decided to sell it on my own. I’ve done this a few times now and it’s always turned out well.
Per usual, after a deep clean and taking some pictures in a nature setting (because cars in wooded areas by a lake are so enchanting), I listed it on Facebook Marketplace and Craig’s List.
Who Knew?
The moment I hit send at 10:30 pm, my phone started blowing up. Who knew so many people would be interested in an inexpensive car with 197K miles on it?
That’s when it took a turn. Sometime late that night, Jesus responded. He wanted to know if my car was available. Early the next morning, I texted back, “Yes, Jesus, are you interested?” He clearly was. Through a series of texts, we settled on the price, but he lived out of town and couldn’t look at the car until 3:00 pm.
Very Interested
In the meantime, I received a message from Mohammad. He, too, was very interested in the car. Like Jesus, he would also be coming from a different town. When he heard someone might get there before him, he asked his boss to let him off early. He wanted to know if we could meet at 3:00 pm.
Now, I was getting nervous. I didn’t think I could meet Jesus and Mohammad at the same time. A spiritual vortex might propel the car into outer space. Not knowing what to do, I messaged Mohammad to say Jesus had contacted me first. If Jesus didn’t want the car, then he could have next dibs.
Hard Look
The whole experience made me take a hard look at myself. If I was really selling my car to Jesus, would it have changed the way I was doing it? Had I been completely honest and upfront? Did I try to hide anything? Was the price fair? And if Jesus wanted my car, shouldn’t I just give it to him?
It all happened so fast. Caught up in the moment, I was more concerned about the sale than the soul issues. I confess, I really didn’t pray about it. I just wanted the car gone and to get a good deal.
Take Time
Next time, I want to do it differently. Maybe the Risen Jesus had something else in mind for that car – to bless someone who needed transportation or to help an organization accomplish their mission. I don’t know, because I didn’t take time to listen.
If I ever go down this road again, I hope I’ll check with my Savior first, because he’s interested in all of my life – even my car.
(BTW, Jesus did buy the car. He was thrilled. Mohammad, on the other hand…not so much.)
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ROGER’S UPCOMING SPEAKING SCHEDULE:
August 11, 2024 – Stone Creek Church, 2502 S Race St, Urbana, IL
- In Person at 9:00 and 11:00 am
- Online at 10:30 am. www.sccwired.com
August 24-25, 2024 – First United Methodist Church, 1315 Court St, Pekin, IL
- Saturday 8/17 – In Person at 5:00 pm
- Sunday 8/18 – In Person at 8:00 and 10:00 am
- Sunday 8/18 – Live Stream at 10:00 am www.pekinfirst.org
Roger Ross
A native of Cambridge, Illinois, Roger has served as a pastor in Texas, the British Channel Island of Guernsey, and Illinois. While in Illinois, he led teams that planted two new churches and served for 10 years as the lead pastor of one of the largest United Methodist Churches in the Midwest. It was his privilege to serve as the Director of Congregational Excellence in the Missouri Conference before coming into his current role with Spiritual Leadership, Inc (SLI).
Roger now comes alongside pastors, non-profit leaders and their leadership teams as an executive coach, specializing in leadership that inspires change. As a side gig, he loves teaching evangelism and church planting as an adjunct professor at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas, Texas.
Other passions of his include SCUBA diving in warm blue water, Krispy Kremes, and board games with family and friends. He also has a weakness for golf.
Roger is the author of three books, Meet The Goodpeople: Wesley’s 7 Ways to Share Faith, Come Back: Returning to the Life You Were Made For, and Come Back Participant Guide, all through Abingdon Press.
Now for the best part. Roger is married to Leanne Klein Ross, and they live Bloomington, Illinois. God has blessed them with two adult children, a son-in-law, several tropical fish, and one adorable granddog.
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